Early American History Vocabulary

A comprehensive vocabulary list covering Indigenous peoples, the Golden Age of Discovery, American colonial history, the Revolutionary War, the early expansion of the United States, and the Civil War based on course curriculum notes.

ideals

principles a person or nation believes are important

Indigenous

originating or living naturally in a place

intercropping

growing complementary crops together

sachem

a leader/chief among some Northeastern Native peoples

wetu

a Wampanoag domed dwelling

coracle

a small, round or oval lightweight boat

fjord

a long narrow sea inlet between steep cliffs

inlet

a narrow body of water extending inland from a larger body of water

keel

the main lengthwise beam along the bottom of a ship

marooned

left stranded in an isolated place with no easy way to leave

men-at-arms

armed fighting men or professional soldiers

promontory

a high point of land that projects into the sea

prow

front of a ship

relic

an object surviving from an earlier time

rune

a letter/symbol in an early Germanic alphabet

saga

a traditional Norse story

shoal

a shallow area of water that can be dangerous to ships

thrall

an enslaved person in Norse society

venison

meat from a deer

bearings

direction of travel/navigation

berserker

a Norse warrior associated with battle fury

flotilla

a small group of ships

headland

land projecting into water

rigging

ropes/cables supporting a ship’s sails

confederacy

a union of groups that cooperate while retaining identity

Great Law

Haudenosaunee tradition of peace and governance

revenge

harm done in return for a wrong

symbolism

using an object/image to represent a larger idea

Vinland

Norse name for land explored west of Greenland

clan

extended kinship group

consensus

reaching a group decision through agreement

forgiveness

releasing resentment toward a wrongdoer

Haudenosaunee

people of the longhouse/Iroquois Confederacy

wampum

shell beads used in diplomacy, memory, ceremony, and exchange

council

group meeting to deliberate/decide

diplomacy

managing relations between groups

nation

a people united by culture, government, or territory

oral tradition

history/stories passed by speaking

Tekwaarathon

Haudenosaunee name connected with lacrosse

caravel

small maneuverable sailing ship used by explorers

expedition

organized journey for a purpose

latitude

distance north or south of the equator

navigation

determining position and route

patience

the ability to wait or endure difficulty calmly

patron

person/ruler who financially supports a venture

colony

settlement controlled by another country

enslavement

forcing a person into ownership/labor

Sargasso Sea

Atlantic region defined by currents and floating sargassum

scribe

person who records/writes information

Taíno

Indigenous people of the Caribbean

charter

official document granting rights/authority

Chesapeake

bay/region on the Atlantic coast

conquistador

Spanish conqueror/explorer in the Americas

representative government

citizens choose people to act/govern for them

settlement

community established in a new place

confederation

alliance of groups

Jamestown

first permanent English settlement in Virginia

Powhatan

name/title used for Wahunsenacawh and commonly for his confederacy

starvation

extreme lack of food

trade

exchange of goods/services

compact

formal agreement

Mayflower

ship that carried the Pilgrims in $1620$

persecution

mistreatment because of beliefs/identity

Pilgrim

traveler for religious purpose

Separatist

English Protestant who wanted to separate from the Church of England

Mayflower Compact

agreement for self-government signed aboard Mayflower

Patuxet

Wampanoag village site where Plymouth was established

sachem (Native political leader)

Native political leader

scouting party

group sent to explore

self-government

people governing themselves

dissent

disagreement with established authority

Quaker

member of the Religious Society of Friends

religious liberty

freedom to practice religion

tolerance

willingness to allow different beliefs

jury

citizens who decide facts in a court case

Pennsylvania

"Penn’s woods"

Philadelphia

"city of brotherly love"

treaty

formal agreement between peoples/governments

colonial identity

developing sense of being American rather than only British

covenant

serious binding agreement

Middle Passage

forced Atlantic voyage of enslaved Africans

pacifist

person opposed to war/violence

slavery

system in which people are legally treated as property

alliance

agreement to cooperate

French and Indian War

North American conflict within the Seven Years’ War

frontier

edge of settled territory

manumission

legal freeing of an enslaved person

abolition

movement to end slavery

contradiction

two ideas/actions that conflict

liberty

freedom under law

literacy

ability to read/write

poet

writer of poetry

boycott

organized refusal to buy/use goods

Parliament

British lawmaking body

representation

acting/speaking for others in government

Sons of Liberty

colonial protest organization

taxation

government collection of money

Articles of Confederation

first U.S. national framework of government

Loyalist

colonist remaining loyal to Britain

militia

civilian military force