new vocab words

conquistador

a spanish conqueror who sought gold and other riches in the americas

mercantilism

an economic policy that gives a country sole ownership of the trade occurring in its colonies

missionary

a person who tries to spread Christianity to others

small pox

a deadly virus that causes a high fever and small blisters on the skin

viceroy

a governor of Spains colonies in the Americans who represented the spanish king and queen

viceroyalty

a territory governed by a viceroy

circumnavigation

to travel completely around Earth

galleon

a large sailing ship used especially by the spanish in the 16th and 17th centuries

heretic

a person who holds beliefs different from the teachings of the catholic church

Northwest Passage

a passage by water between the atlantic and pacific oceans along the northern coast of north america

persecute

to punish, particularly because of beliefs or background

privateer

an armed but privately owned ship that acts under the authority of a government to participate in warfare ; or a sailor on such a ship

watershed

an area of land that includes a particular river or lake and all the bodies of water flow onto it