HISTORY: Midterm 1 study questiosn

Why did Europe and not somewhere else begin to dominate the world in 1500?

Why did Europe and not somewhere else begin to dominate the world in 1500?

No one else was trying to expand/take over, so Europe emerged as leaders by default.

• [China- didnt need to expand

• Ottomans- conservatives/sealed off to prevent anything that might interferre with faith/culture

• India- religious tension weakened/divided them

• Africa- slave trade disrupted society,

• Aztecs and Incas- overthrown by Spanish (Cortez and Pizarro)

What factors led Europeans to begin to explore?

Technology, trade, and religion.

being in constant conflict with each other led to advances in tech → able to travel, trade spices and explore new lands → religious competition, spread religion

Who was Bartolomeu Dias?  Who was Vasco da Gama? Henry the Navigator?

Bartolomeu Dias: sailed around the tip of Africa (new spice route)

Vasco da Gama: continued Dias's discovery and sailed to India by going AROUND Africa

Henry the Navigator: Prince of Portugal, second son took an interest in travel and later dedicated to spreading Christianity and gathering nautical knowledge

To what does the term “Reconquista” or the “Reconquest” refer?

The reconquest of Spain; Islamic N. Africans (Moors) conquires most of Spain in 700’s and Christain Kings fought to regain control. (left spain in debt and decided to sponsor Columbus in hopes of a new spice trade)

What was Columbus’s crazy idea? Why did people think he would fail?

Columbus’ idea was to sail West across the ocean to reach the East (china/india). people thought the ocean was too big and could not carry enough resources to last the journey

What was the Columbian Exchange? What types of items were included in it?

The exchange of ideas, people, and iteams between the New and Old Worlds. (new crops, ideologies, minerals, and diseases)

According to scholars, when did the first peoples arrive in the Americas?

20,000-25,000 years ago; traveled from Asia thanks to the land bridge created by the lowered water levels from glaciers

What are Mississippian cultures known for?  What is Watson Brake? What is Poverty Point?

Known for ceremonial mounts (large earth buitls plantforms).

Watson Brake was where the earliest societies were located (earliest example of long-lasting culture).

Poverty Point was another complex society that practices agriculture and pottery.

What is Cahokia? What was ideal about its site? How were the mounds there built? What is the largest mound at Cahokia? How big was the culture that Cahokia was part of?

The site of a Native Am. city, with ideal resources that allowed for settlement. Mounts were build by digging and moving earth. The largest mound was Monks Mound. Big culture, mounts were used for burials, buildings, and geographic markers.

What is characteristic of Southwest Cultures? Who were the Anasazi? What else do we call them today?

Complex societies of settled agriculture and irrigation systems. The Anasazi aka ancentral pueblo people, built structures and irrigation.

How unified were Native Americans at the time of European contact?

Not united, lots of tension from diverse and complext cultures and competition over resources

What problems led to the Protestant Reformation?

The Black Plague left Europe in need of new clergy and quick (lowered qualifications → corruption in church) that Martin Luther noticed and called out

What is an indulgence? Who was John Tetzel?

Selling forgiveness/penance allowed people to ensure their place in Heaven. Popularized by Tetzel who promoted salvation for money.

According to Martin Luther, through what means were Christians to obtain salvation? What were his 95 Theses?

Could obtain salvation through faith alone. His 95 theses were his reasons for why he thought indulgence was wrong and why he though the church was too corrupt.

What was the Catholic response to the Protestant Reformation?

Had a counter reformation due to reparation from Protestant Reformation.

Who was John Calvin? Henry VIII? What problem did Henry have? What resulted from his efforts to solve his problems?

John Calvin: taught a different view of Eucharist; believed in symbolic presence and taught Predestination.

Henry VIII: King of England, kept wanting to divorce/annul his marriages since he couldn’t get a son but not allowed in Catholicism so he made his own church (Church of England) and further divided Protestantism.

Who was Ponce de León? Who was Cabaza de Vaca?

Governor of Puerto Rico who led an expedition of Florida but died shortly after.

Cabeza de Vaca: expedition leader, first Europeans to travel through S.W. Am. and spread stories of wealthy native cities.

What did de Soto do? What about Coronado?

Started another expidition through Florida and convinced natives that he was a god.

Juan Rodrigues Cabrillo: conquistador who explored the West Coast and died of a broken ankle

What was the first permanent Spanish settlement in what is now the United States?

St. Augustine in Florida by Spanish, ment to keep French out

Who led the first Spanish expedition to settle in what is now New Mexico? When was Santa Fe established? Who established it?

Juan de Onate (famous for cutting off the feet of native men)

Santa Fe established in 1610 by Pedro de Peralta.

What was the Encomienda system?

(modeled after serfdom in Europe) where people owned land and the people who lived there [later replaced with the Repartimiento system where natives worked for periods of time and were protected]

What were relations like between Native Americans and the Spanish?

Mixed. Were very forceful and violent but made natives a part of their society even though they were not equals

What was the basis of the French economy in the New World?

Fur trade with natives

What was the relationship like between the French and Native Americans?

Mutually beneficial where naitves got goods and french got fur (didnt try to dominate natives and only tried to persuased them into Christianity)

When was the first permanent settlement founded by the Virginia Company?  What was it? What were conditions like there for the settlers?

James Town, Virginia. A colony/ joint stock company (charted by goven’t, private interprise)

Conditions were BAD, many died for years (due to drought or illness)

What was the primary product of the Chesapeake colonies?  Who planted the first commercial seeds of this crop?

Main product was tabacco, first planted by Catholic elite.

What were relations like between the settlers of Virginia and the Native Peoples?

Didn't intermarry and Putitans less inclusive (racially aware), and separation formed. (not a lot willing to convert) Pocahontas’ father, Powhatan, saw the English as a potential ally to expand their territory (political marriage)

When was the House of Burgesses established?

1619; elected colonial assebly to make laws and impose taxes (early form of self-government)

What was an indentured servant?

Usually a poor person from England who got their ticket to American paid for and would work under a family untill their debt was paid off

What role did Bacon’s Rebellion play in the shift from indentured servants to slaves?

Bacon’s rebellion was caused by tension between ex-indentured servants and natives who lived in close proximity to them—shifted to slaves to prevent more rowdy, low-class indentured servants who caused trouble.

What was the difference between a Pilgrim and a Puritan?

Pilgrim: first group over to America (Mayflower), Calvins and separatists. They believed that English society was corrupt and that they had to separate themselves. Mayflower Compact was their own form of government. Established colony called Plymouth Plantation.

Puritan: Also Calvinists. Believed that if they set a good example they could help PURIFY English society and the Church of England.

What was the Mayflower Compact?

Pilgrims own form of government, made while they were still on board their ship, which they called the MAYFLOWER COMPACT

According to John Winthrop in the Arbella Sermon, what were the Puritans supposed to do in the New World?

aka “A City on a Hill” speech, idea of American exceptionalism served as an example to the rest of the world. to Suceed, everyone (regarless of class) had to pull together in the interest of common goals. (divine obligations)

What does the case of Anne Hutchinson tell us about the limits of religious freedom in Massachusetts Bay Colony? What is antinomianism?

Challenged religious toleration; agreed and disagreed with some of the ministers. Was a woman talking? oh no!. Accused of antinomianism, the belief that someone is above the law as contained in the Bible.

Why was Roger Williams banished from Massachusetts in 1635?  What colony did he establish?

Roger Williams (minister in Mass. Bay) beleived that colony had no right to compel ppl to follow laws about religion or conscience→ upset religious leaders who ran the government.[believed that church might get corrupted by government]. Established Rhode Island, guaranteed freedom of conscience and allowed all to practice their religion as they saw fit (first to practice religious toleration)

What was the relationship like between Puritans and Native Americans in New England?

Puritans more aggressively than the colonists in Virginia to convert the Indians to Christianity. “praying towns” were established as a result. However, this created tensions among the Indians who gave up traditional ways and traditionalists.

Who was King Philip or Metacom? Why was he unhappy with the English colonists?

King Philip/Matacom led revolt of the Wampanoagsa. He was unhappy with the colonists because they tried to control Indian affairs through legal means.

Who was Lord Baltimore and what did he plan to create in Maryland?

George Calvert (Lord Baltimore) was an English Catholic who had done many favors for the English king, Charles I, who rewarded him with a large colony north of Virginia in what is today the state of Maryland. Planned to preserve the rights of Catholics colonists; colonial assembly of Maryland thus published the “ACTS OF RELIGIOUS TOLERATION” in 1649 (applied only to Catholics to protect them from discrimination from Protestants)

What is a Quaker? What did they believe? Who was William Penn?

A Quaker is a member of the “society of friends”, had their own distinctive read on the Bible, pacifists and belived everyone should be treated the same. William Penn, founder. He and his family did favors for the King and were rewarded with the Pennsylvania colony. Closer in practice to Rhode Island in pushing forward the boundaries of religious toleration and bringing the colonies closer to religious freedom.

How did Pennsylvania differ in the way it treats the Indians? Why was it different in this way?

Pennsylvania treated Natives fairly (children of God). Tolerent of their religous beliefs and believed land should be fairly negotiated with good faith where both parties satisfied. (Other colonists would trick/drug Natives into giving away their land)

What country founded New Amsterdam? What were their relations like with Native Americans?

Founded by Dutch colony. Interested in engaging with fur trade with Indians (economic relationship $)

How did New Amsterdam become New York?

Became NY when eventually taken over by English (1660s) during a war between England and Netherlands. Declated part of G.B. and gifted to kings brother, Jakes Duke of York.

What was different about the Carolinas?

Settled from Englishmen who had first settled in the Caribbean.

Who founded Georgia?  What was its original purpose?

Founded by James Orglethorpe. Originally wanted to grant land to the poor of England so they could become self-sufficient farmers.

In general, how were the British North American colonies different from those of Spain or France?

Government: Each English colony has an elected colonial assembly (House of Berg.) while Spain and France has appointed officials.

Numbers: Spain colony had ~5000 non-indian residents, France colony has ~20000, English has 250,000. →Population number reflected in a diverse and dynamic economy

How did the British North American Colonies change in the 1700s? Who was Benjamin Franklin?

Population growth (2.5 million) and more diverse (Scotland and Ireland people).

Economic diversity: mostly independent farming villages. indentured servant in N due to short growing season vs slave labor in S.

Diversity→ new ideas and different values between N and S.

Benjamin Franklin: wrote “Poor Richard’s Almanac) which highlighted colonist values and focused on hard work and earning material rewards (Calvinists and Protestantism)

How many Africans were brought to what became the United States in an enslaved condition?

400,000 enslaved people from African brought to US.

Who was Olaudah Equiano? What was the Middle Passage?

aka Gustavus Vasa. Ex-enslaved person who wrote their experience of transition into slavery and Middle Passage into a book. Middle Passage was the journey from African to Americas (overseas for months, inhumane conditions and many died)

What was the Halfway Covenant and why was it necessary?

In order to be in Congregationalist Church needed to have spiritual experience, but new generation of Puritans not having experiences → couln’t join church, get married, vote, ect

→ declining spirituality → resolution was the Halfway Conventant which allowed someone to associate with God’s elect but with less rights (hoped the influence would encourage more spiritual experiences)

Who was George Whitefield?  According to Nathaniel Cole, how were people affected when he came to preach?

George Whitefield was a follower of John Wesly, founder to Methodism (enthusiastic methods of worship), had a large following and was a powerful figure (*Cole’s letter about Whitefield)

What and when was the Great Awakening?

1730’s, the Great Awakening was a religious revival that spread and changed colonial thinking (make ppl more religious)

What was the name of Jonathan Edward’s most famous sermon?

“Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”

What were the consequences of the Great Awakening?

Made people more willing to question authority (caused by religious diversity), more separation of church and state, religious and social diversity, and changing political and moral views

Why did people start thinking in new ways beginning the the 1500s?

[Scientific Revolution] caused by the reformation of religion (challenged relationship with religion), new technology, and exploration (new world)

What was the Enlightenment?

Intellectual movement emphasizing reason and science (scientific rev.) [“I think, therefore I am”]

Who was Thomas Hobbes?  What did he write?

English philosopher. Wrote “Leviathan,” which examined society and government → social contract; we pick and follow a king to provide stability (his responsibility)

What and when was the Glorious Revolution? Who were William and Mary?

1688, Glorious Revolution: how England overthrew and them brought back the monarchy (resist authoritarian rule from king). Instilling the Protesant William and Mary (Prince of Orange and daughter of King James II.) [Parlament has more power]

Who was John Locke, what did he write and why was he important to American history?

English philosopher wrote “Second Treaties on Government." It is important because it examines the state of nature and natural rights

Who was Gaspar de Portolá?

Spanish soldier and governor of California.

Who was Junipero Serra?

Francisean monk who helped esablish Spanish Missions and convert natives.

What was the first California Mission?  When was it founded?

First mission in San Diego, San Diego de Alcala, founded 1769

What was the purpose of the mission system?

Mission System intended to establish settlement in West and to convert natives to Catholicism (anchor for the Spanish Empire)

Who started the French and Indian war?  What was the Albany Plan of Union?

George Washington; after accidentally attacking and killing a French diplomat. Albany Plan of Union was a proposal to create a centralized government among the colonies (form sense of common identity)

What role did Native American’s play in the French and Indian War?  Which side did they mostly support?  Why?

Native Americans supported the French and offered aid in the war because they hoped that if the French won, they would be able to keep their land

According to the Treaty of Paris in 1763, how much land were the French able to hold on to in North America?

French lost all North America possessions EXCEPT for their Caribbean colonies

How did the French and Indian War lead to the American Revolution?

The aftermath of the war (debt) highlighted issues: taxed colonies more to pay off debt and passed a ton of Acts (even with no representation) and kept trying to control them

What was the purpose of the Proclamation Line of 1763?

After the Pontiac’s Rebellion, to prevent further (expensive) conflict between colonies and native, restricted colonial settlement West

Who was Pontiac?  What was the goal of Pontiac’s Rebellion?

An Ottawa chief who, after the French lost the F&I war and budget cuts for native loyalty, lead a secret concil of chiefs to attack British forts and push troops and colonists out of West indian land.

What was the purpose of the Sugar Act?  What did it do?

To recapture revenue and fix the problems brought from the Molasses Act of 1733 (tried to tax French molasses, which was cheaper, but most ppl avoid this tax) - lowered tax by ½ so ppl more inclined to pay

How did the colonists respond to the Stamp Act?What was Virtual representation?

Meant specifially to raise revenue eventhough colonist taxed as a freewill gift. Colonist didnt like having no representative in Parliament.

virtual representation, the Brit. argued, was how colonist were represented since everyone in Parliament looked out for the entire kingdom including colonists

Who was Patrick Henry?  What was the purpose of his Virginia Resolves?  What effect did they have?

member of Virginia House fo Burgesses. The Virginia Resolves were meant to solve issues with Stamp Act. Convinced other colonies to take a harder line aswell

Why was the Stamp Act Congress important?

Delegates from 9 colonies politley petitioned Grenville to repeal. Causing colonists to see a sense of common purpose among themselves as colonists in opposition to GB

Who were the Sons of Liberty and what did they do? Who was Samuel Adams? Who was Thomas Hutchinson?

Sons of Liberty were an organized group who opposed the Stamp Act. “well organized mod”

Samuel Adams: politician, merchant, and lawyer. infliential figure among Sons of Liberty

Thomas Hutchinson: Lt. Governor of Massachetutes, supported the cause but tried to stop sons of liberty from scaring off Stamp Act collectors; house was torn apart and flee

What happened with the Stamp Act?

With help from the Sons of Liberty, Stamp Act couldn’t be enforced since there was no one brave enough to administer it. Eventually, REPEALED but replaced with Declaratory Act, allowing Parliament legislature over colonies

What was taxed by the Townshend duties?

Taxed external taxes (imports)

What was non-importation and how effective was it?

Colonial response ot Townshend Duties; agreement among merchants to not import any taxed iteams. Effect was to pressure merchants and members of Parliament to change laws. But did not work

Who were the Daughters of Liberty?

Colonial women who opposed the taxes; petitioned to stop using imported goods from Britain and instead started to weave their own cloth (symbol of colonial unity)

When was the Boston Massacre?  What happened? Who was John Adams?

Crowd surround soldiers guarding a customs house and caused a disturbance → things escelated and people got rowdy and a shot fired, leading the rest of the guards to fire into the crowd.

John Adams: lawyer and future president; represented the British soldiers from the Boston massacre

What was the Gaspee Incident?

Gaspee was a British revenu catter (coast guard) who, while looking for violators, ran his ship ashore on Rhode Island and got robbed by pirates who burned his ship. When he cause the culprits, he sent them to Britain to stand trial (violation of colonists basic rights)

What was the purpose of Committees of Correspondence?

Organization made by colonist to pass along the alarming news about British outrage. First semi-official link among American colonial government; common unity against Brit. oppression.

What happened at the Boston Tea Party?

Colonial response to Tea Act, meant to prevent tea from being unloaded and forced to go back to Britain.

What were the Coercive Acts? What were the Intolerable Acts?  What was their purpose?  How did the colonists respond?

Parliament’s response to the Boston Tea Party (tried to get colonists to behave). Set of laws meant to limit trade and reduce democracy/colonial power. Colonists were angry and started to form militias to protect themselves and their freedoms

Who was Paul Revere?

Silversmith and community leader. His and his Midnight riders alerted the colonies of the British arrival during the Power Alarm. Led militias and organized colonial troops.

What happened at Lexington and Concord?  When did it happen?

Result of Powder Alarm. April 19, 1775 Boston. Fight between British soldiers trying to sieze weapons/gunpowder and colonial militia trying to stop them. Beginning of American Revolution

What famous line is linked to the battle of Bunker Hill?

“Dont fire until you see the whites of their eyes”

Who was chosen to lead the Continental Army?  Why was he chosen?

George Washinton; because he had some experience from the French and Indian War and because he was from Virginia (New Englanders
were afraid that the other colonies would see the conflict as simply New England’s war.)- also looked the part (wealthy, tall, regal) and learned from his mistakes

Who wrote Common Sense?  Why was it important?

Thomas Paine. He argued for independence (stating that the colonists had the resources to be on their own), and soon, more people contemplated independence.

What did Abigail Adams admonish her husband John to do as he served in the Continental Congress in March of 1776?

“remember the ladies”

Who wrote most of the Declaration of Independence? What does the Declaration say? What was its purpose?

Thomas Jefferson. Explained how the King broke the social contract (listed the reasons) and declared that’s why the colonies were leaving.

What advantages did the British and the Colonists each have when the Revolution started?

British had armies, power, money, and experience. The Colonists had home advantage, quick access to resources and support from Britian’s enemies.

How were African-Americans affected by the Revolution? Who was Phillis Wheatley?

Many enslaved African Americans were later enlisted to fight and people, such as Washington, changed their minds about slavery and the ability of slaves.

Philis Wheatly: African America, brought to American as a slave. Have a high education, talented, and recognized for her intellectual abilities.

Who was Lord Dunmore?  What was the purpose of his proclamation?

Royal governer of Virginia. Knew how the South relied on slave labor and offered freedom to slaves who would desert their masters to fight for the British. Meant to cause panic among slave owners, who’s economy relied on them, and scare them into surrendering

How did the Revolution affect Native Americans? Whose side did they fight on?

Mohawks and other natives sided with Britain (sought to stop colonial expansion into native territory), but some aided the Patriots.

Who was Joseph Brant? What did he urge King George to do?

Joseph Brant was a mixed-blood MOHAWK leader who had been well-educated and who had traveled to England; he petitioned the British king, George
III, to allow the Indians to fight for the British.

Who was George Rogers Clark? What happened at the Battle of Vincennes?

American commander in Ohio Valley/Kentucky. In modern Indiana, the Battle fo Vincennes was a responce to the violent scalpings done by the Natives, ordered by British commander Harry Hamilton aka “Hair Buyer Hamilton.” Clark captured a number of Indian warriors, executed them in front of a British Fort where the killing and subsequent
scalping of the victims was witnessed by the Indians and the British. Captured Clark Hamilton and sent him to Virginia in irons to be tried. (later released)

What happened at the Battle of Brooklyn Heights? New York? Trenton? Princeton? What was the “Forage War”?

British eventually came back to seize New York City and Washinton moved his troop to Long Island in anticipation, but failed and lost tremendously (British defeated the Continental Army and seize of NY). At Trenton Washinton and his men slipped away in the middle of the night to fight another successful battle against a small British garrison at Princeton.

Forage War refers to when British troops had to go into the countryside to try to forage food (due to long supply lines) and were attacked by Washington’s men in guerrilla warfare fashion

What happened at the Battle of Oriskany Creek? According to your text, what was unusual about it?

Torie (colonists loyal to Great Britain) army and Seneca and Mohawk Indians, under the command of general Barry St. Ledger, fought down the Mohawk Valley to Albany. But St. Ledger was forced to abandon a siege and nearby Fort Stanwix and eventually withdrew up the valley. He was never able to reach Albany.

What happened at the Battle of Fort Stanwix?

Another battle led by general Barry St. Ledger, fought its way up the Mohawk Valley to Albany.

Why was the Battle of Saratoga so important?

Major victory for Colonists where British forces were trapped by Continental forces outside of SARATOGA, NEW YORK, and eventually, SURRENDERED WITH HIS ENTIRE 7,000 MAN ARMY on October 17, 1777. As a result, American negotiators in Paris were able to convince the French we might win! SO FRANCE ENTERED the war as our ally in February 1778. They would lend us more money, send troops, and even naval support

What happened at Valley Forge? Who was Baron von Steuben? Who was Molly Pitcher?

A winter encampment outside of Philadelphia where Washinton decided to train his men in preperation of the next year.

German Nobleman, Baron von Steuben, experienceced officer in the Prussian army (the most impressive fighting force in Europe) “dumbed down” the standard training for troops at the time so the Americans could manage the basics and formed them into an effective fighting force. (by the spring and summer of 1778, they were fully the equal of the British troops in battle)

Molly Pitcher was a generic term for the wives or sweethearts of the troops who followed their men into the field to cook, clean, and take care of the sick or wounded. But sometimes in the heat of battle they literally brought pitchers of water for the thirsty troops and cannons.