APUSH Unit 2: The Promised Land

The early years and the development of the Virginia Colony

Bloody Mary

Catholic Queen of England from 1553-58, known for being, well, unforgiving.

Elizabeth I

Protestant Queen of England from 1558-1603, used her charm and intelligence to turn English into a major world power.

Privateers

Commissioned pirate ships that engaged in piracy against enemy vessels, particularly during wartime.

The Black Legend of Spain

Propaganda that demonized Spain, depicting it as a cruel and oppressive empire, particularly in its treatment of indigenous peoples in the Americas.

Colonist Assumptions of America

The belief English colonists held that they would make friends with the Natives, find gold, and that America is a “wilderness paradise”.

Colonist Realities

The truth of the Americas that colonists faced: Natives had many different reactions to them, there is no gold in tidewater Virginia, Jamestown is generally miserable climate-wise.

John Smith

An English adventurer and leader who played a significant role in the establishment of Jamestown, Virginia, and is known for his harsh interactions with the Native Americans. Eventually driven away from colonies.

Maize

A staple crop genetically engineered by Native Americans, and the main food source for many Native groups in North America.

De la Warr

An early colonial governor of Virginia, Thomas West, 3rd Baron De La Warr, played a crucial role in the colony's establishment and governance, implementing martial law and promoting tobacco cultivation.

Tobacco

A cash crop that became the economic foundation of the Virginia colony, it was extensively cultivated and exported, significantly impacting the colonial economy.

Bacon’s Rebellion

A 1676 uprising led by Nathaniel Bacon against the Virginia colonial government, fueled by grievances over land and Native American policies. It highlighted tensions between the settlers and the ruling class, leading to changes in colonial governance.

Indentured Servitude

A labor system where individuals agreed to work for a certain number of years in exchange for passage to the American colonies, typically resulting in land or money after their term.