Pre-Colonial America Study Guide for AP U.S. History

Mound Builders

Native American cultures known for constructing various earthen mounds for ceremonial, religious, and elite residential purposes.

Cahokia

A pre-Columbian Native American city located near present-day St. Louis, known for its large earthen mounds and complex society.

Pueblo

Native American peoples in the Southwestern United States known for their adobe dwellings and agricultural practices.

Iroquois Confederacy

A political alliance of several Native American tribes in the northeastern United States, known for its sophisticated governance and influence.

Aztec Empire

A Mesoamerican civilization that was dominant in central Mexico prior to Spanish colonization, known for its architectural and cultural achievements.

Mayan Empire

An ancient Mesoamerican civilization known for its hieroglyphic script, art, architecture, and advanced mathematical and astronomical systems.

Inca Empire

The largest empire in pre-Columbian America, known for its extensive road systems and advanced agricultural techniques in the Andes.

Caravel

A small, highly maneuverable sailing ship developed in the 15th century by the Portuguese, used for exploration.

Reconquista

The period in the history of Spain when Christian kingdoms sought to recapture territory from Muslim rule, culminating in 1492.

Columbus

An Italian explorer credited with the discovery of the Americas in 1492 while seeking a westward route to Asia.

The Columbian Exchange

The widespread transfer of plants, animals, culture, human populations, technology, and ideas between the Americas and the Old World after 1492.

The Silk Road

An ancient network of trade routes that connected the East and West, facilitating cultural, commercial, and technological exchange.

New Spain

A Spanish colonial territory in the Americas that included parts of present-day Mexico, the southwestern United States, and the Caribbean.

Creoles

People of Spanish descent born in the Americas, often holding a privileged social status in colonial society.

Mulatos

Individuals of mixed European and African ancestry, particularly in the context of colonial Latin America.

Mestizos

People of mixed European and Indigenous ancestry in Latin America, often forming a significant part of the population.

Bartolome de Las Casas

A Spanish Dominican friar and missionary who advocated for the rights of Indigenous peoples in the Americas.

The Black Legend

A term used to describe the anti-Spanish propaganda that exaggerated the cruelty of Spanish colonization.

Encomienda System

A labor system instituted by the Spanish crown in the Americas that granted colonists the right to demand tribute and forced labor from Indigenous peoples.

Conquistadores

Spanish explorers and soldiers who conquered territories in the Americas during the Age of Exploration.

Ninety-Fives Theses

A list of propositions for an academic disputation written by Martin Luther in 1517, challenging the practices of the Catholic Church.

St. Augustine, Florida

The oldest continuously inhabited European-established settlement in the continental United States, founded by the Spanish in 1565.

New Mexico

A region in the southwestern United States that was part of the Spanish colonial territory and known for its Indigenous cultures and missions.

Pueblo Revolt

An uprising of Pueblo people against Spanish colonizers in 1680, aimed at reclaiming their religious practices and autonomy.

Jacques Cartier

A French explorer known for his voyages to Canada, claiming the land for France in the 16th century.

Indentured Servants

Individuals who agreed to work for a certain number of years in exchange for passage to the Americas and the promise of land or money.

New France

The French colonial territory in North America, which included parts of present-day Canada and the United States.

Dutch Empire

A global trading empire established by the Netherlands in the 17th century, known for its maritime trade and colonies.

Borderland

A region that lies along the boundary between two or more distinct cultural or political areas, often characterized by cultural exchange and conflict.