HIST Word List

Leif Ericson

Norse explorer who reached North America (Vinland) around 1000 AD.

Christian Crusaders

Religious wars that exposed Europeans to Eastern goods, sparking a desire for trade routes.

Marco Polo

Traveled to China; his writings fueled European interest in the East.

Printing Press

Revolutionized communication, spreading knowledge and new ideas (including about exploration).

Renaissance

Period of renewed interest in art, science, and exploration.

Nation-State

Centralized kingdoms with the resources to fund exploration and colonization.

Portugal

Early leader in exploration, notable figures include Prince Henry the Navigator, Diaz, and Vasco da Gama.

Prince Henry the Navigator

Established a navigation school in Portugal.

Bartholomew Diaz

Rounded the southern tip of Africa.

Vasco da Gama

Sailed to India, establishing a sea route.

Christopher Columbus

Sailed west for Spain and 'discovered' the Americas in 1492.

Ferdinand & Isabella

Spanish monarchs who funded Columbus's voyages.

Ferdinand Magellan

Led the first circumnavigation of the globe.

Hernán Cortés

Conquered the Aztec Empire.

Quetzalcoatl

Aztec deity, whose return was anticipated by some Aztecs.

Montezuma

Aztec emperor conquered by Hernán Cortés.

Francisco Pizarro

Conquered the Inca Empire.

Atahualpa

Inca emperor captured and executed by Francisco Pizarro.

Vasco Núñez de Balboa

Crossed the Isthmus of Panama and 'discovered' the Pacific Ocean.

Juan Ponce de León

Searched for the Fountain of Youth and explored Florida.

Francisco Coronado

Explored the Southwest, searching for gold.

Hernando de Soto

Explored the Southeast and discovered the Mississippi River.

Conquistadors

Spanish conquerors.

Mestizos

People of mixed European and Native American descent.

North American Tribes

Diverse cultures and languages including advanced civilizations.

European Diseases

Had a devastating impact on Native American populations (e.g., smallpox, measles).

Martin Luther

Initiated the Protestant Reformation.

Quebec

First permanent French settlement in North America.

Marquette & Joliet

French explorers who explored the Mississippi River.

La Salle

French explorer who claimed Louisiana for France.

New Orleans

Founded as a French fort.

Queen Elizabeth I

English monarch who supported exploration and challenged Spain.

Francis Drake

English sea dog who raided Spanish ships.

Humphrey Gilbert

Unsuccessful English colonizer of Newfoundland.

Walter Raleigh

Unsuccessful English colonizer of the Roanoke colony.

King Philip II

Spanish king who sent the Armada against England.

King James I

English king who granted charters for Jamestown and Plymouth.

Jamestown, VA

First permanent English settlement established in 1607.

John Rolfe

Developed tobacco as a cash crop in Jamestown.

Virginia Company

Joint-stock company that founded Jamestown.

Lord Baltimore

Founded Maryland as a haven for Catholics.

Indentured Servants

Laborers who worked for a set period in exchange for passage to the Americas.

King Charles I

English king whose conflicts with Parliament led to the English Civil War.

King Charles II

English king restored to the throne after the English Civil War.

Slavery

Became a major institution in the Southern colonies.

Puritan Revolution

The English Civil War that led to the execution of Charles I.

James Oglethorpe

Founder of Georgia.

William Penn

Founder of Pennsylvania.

Anne Hutchinson

Religious dissenter banished from Massachusetts Bay.

Roger Williams

Founder of Rhode Island, advocating for religious freedom.

John Winthrop

Governor of Massachusetts Bay.

Mercantilism

Economic system where colonies benefited the mother country.

Navigation Acts

British laws regulating colonial trade.

Glorious Revolution

A bloodless revolution in England that increased colonial self-government.

The Old South

Region characterized by plantations and slavery.

The Great Awakening

A religious revival.

King William's War

Colonial war between England and France.

War of Spanish Succession

Also known as Queen Anne's War, a colonial war.

French and Indian War

Conflict between Britain and France for control of North America, also referred to as the Seven Years' War.