APUSH Unit 1 Vocabulary

Protestant Reformation

• The Protestant Reformation was a religious movement in the 16th century that aimed to reform the practices and beliefs of the Roman Catholic Church.

• It led to the establishment of various Protestant denominations and significant changes in Christianity, emphasizing scripture, faith, and individual interpretation over church authority.

• It was initiated by Martin Luther in 1517 when he nailed his "95 Theses" to the door of the Wittenberg Castle Church.

Aztecs

• The Aztecs were a Mesoamerican civilization that thrived from the 14th to the 16th century, primarily in what is now Mexico.

• They are known for their advanced agricultural practices, complex social structure, impressive architectural achievements, and rich mythology.

• The capital city, Tenochtitlán, was a major urban center and a hub of trade and culture.

Iroquois

• The Iroquois, also known as the Haudenosaunee, are a group of Native American tribes originally from the northeastern United States and Canada.

• They are known for their sophisticated political system, the Iroquois Confederacy, which united several tribes for mutual defense and governance.

• The main tribes include the Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, Seneca, and later the Tuscarora.

Incas

• The Incas were a South American civilization that thrived in the Andes Mountains from the early 15th century until the Spanish conquest in the 16th century.

• They are known for their advanced agricultural techniques, impressive architectural achievements, and a vast empire that stretched along the western coast of South America.

• The Incas constructed the city of Machu Picchu.

St. Augustine

• A city in northeastern Florida, known for its Spanish colonial architecture and as the oldest continuously inhabited European-established settlement in the continental United States, founded in 1565.

• It is also the name of a prominent early Christian theologian and philosopher, St. Augustine of Hippo, known for his influential works on theology and philosophy.

• People claim it to be the oldest city in the United States.

Columbian Exchange

• The Columbian Exchange refers to the widespread transfer of plants, animals, culture, diseases (think of the smallpox outbreaks in Native American populations), technology, and ideas between the Americas and the Old World (Europe, Africa, and Asia) following Christopher Columbus's voyages in the late 15th century.

• The Columbian Exchange significantly altered global agriculture by introducing new crops like potatoes and maize to Europe and wheat and sugarcane to the Americas.

• The exchange led to the introduction of livestock, such as horses and cattle, to the Americas, transforming transportation and farming practices.

Hernando Cortez

• A Spanish conquistador known for leading the expedition that resulted in the fall of the Aztec Empire in present-day Mexico in 1521.

• He played a crucial role in the Spanish colonization of the Americas.

• He famously formed alliances with various indigenous groups who were enemies of the Aztecs, which significantly contributed to his success in overthrowing the Aztec Empire.

Encomienda System

• A Spanish labor system in the Americas during the colonial period, where Spanish settlers were granted the right to extract labor and tribute from Indigenous people in exchange for protection and Christianization.

• “Encomienda” means “to commend”

• The Spanish put the Natives through a vicious cycle of working for little food, then dying from either starvation or exhaustion.

Bartolomeu de Las Casas

• Bartolomeu de Las Casas was a 16th-century Spanish Dominican friar and missionary.

• He is known for advocating for the rights of Indigenous peoples in the Americas and opposing the encomienda system, which exploited native labor.

• He is often regarded as one of the first advocates for human rights in the New World.

Treaty of Tordesillas

• It was a 1494 agreement between Spain and Portugal, dividing newly discovered lands outside Europe along a meridian 370 leagues west of the Cape Verde islands, aimed at resolving disputes over colonial claims.

• If the Portuguese discovered land on the Spanish side, it belonged to the Spanish.

• If the Spanish discovered land on the Portuguese side, it belonged to the Portuguese.

Christopher Columbus

• An Italian explorer who completed four voyages across the Atlantic Ocean, opening the way for the widespread European exploration and colonization of the Americas.

• Columbus made four voyages across the Atlantic Ocean between 1492 and 1504.

• Columbus's voyages were sponsored by the Spanish monarchy, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, who sought to find a new trade route and expand their influence.

Pueblo

• Indigenous peoples of the Southwestern United States, known for their unique adobe dwellings and complex societal structures.

• They have a complex society with a rich cultural heritage, including traditional ceremonies, crafts, and agricultural practices.

• The Pueblo peoples include several distinct groups, such as the Hopi, Zuni, and Taos, each with their own unique languages and traditions.

Pueblo Revolt

• A 1680 uprising of the Pueblo people against Spanish colonizers in present-day New Mexico, which temporarily expelled the Spanish from the region.

• The revolt was driven by a combination of factors, including religious oppression, forced labor, and drought.

• The rebellion resulted in the temporary expulsion of the Spanish from the region, though they later re-established control in 1692.

Francisco Pizarro

• A Spanish conquistador who led the expedition that conquered the Inca Empire in what is now Peru, claiming the lands for Spain.

• He captured and executed the Inca ruler Atahualpa, which led to the fall of the Inca Empire and the establishment of Spanish rule in the region.

• Pizarro's conquest was marked by significant violence and exploitation, leading to the widespread destruction of Inca culture and society.

Sir Walter Raleigh

• An English explorer, soldier, and writer who sponsored the first English colony in America at Roanoke Island (now North Carolina), though it ultimately failed.

• He was a prominent figure in Elizabethan England and a favorite of Queen Elizabeth I, known for his ambitious plans for colonization and exploration.

• Raleigh's efforts in colonization were ultimately unsuccessful, but he is remembered for his contributions to early English exploration of the Americas.