Unit 1: Native Americans, European Exploration, and Colonial Interactions

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms, historical events, economic systems, and cultural interactions from Unit 1 lecture notes.

Bearing strait

The waterway crossed by humans during the Ice Age to migrate into the Americas.

Kiva

A ceremonial structure used by native populations in Southwest North America.

Iroquois confederation

A alliance of eight tribes in North America formed to prevent war caused by resource competition and bad soil.

Renaissance

A period of rapid development in Europe involving art, science, technology, and philosophy.

Caravel

A masterfully crafted Spanish ship used during European exploration.

Reconquista (1492)

The historical event in 1492 in which the Spanish defeated Muslims.

Protestant reformation (1520)

A movement sparked by Martin Luther's 95 thesis calling out the Catholic Church.

Silk Road

A trade route between Asia and Europe where the Ottomans charged taxes for goods transported through Turkey.

Treaty of Tordesillas

An agreement where the Pope drew a line dividing the world between Spain and Portugal.

Northwest passage

A route to Asia sought by English and French explorers that led them instead to Canada and North America.

Colombian exchange

The trade of crops, animals, people, and diseases between the New World and Europe.

Capitalism

An economic system where an individual controls capital (money/machinery), challenging royalty's control.

Joint – stock company

An enterprise structure where individuals secure investors to fund explorations to avoid losing everything on failed voyages.

Encomienda system

A Spanish system, similar to European feudalism, that used Indian labor for work.

Asiento system

A system where the Spanish King received a tax for importing African slaves.

Middle passage

The slave trade route through which 10 to 15,000,000 slaves were transported, mostly to the Caribbean and South America.

Casta system

The social class structure established in Spanish colonies.

Black legend

Propaganda highlighting the Spanish treating native populations horribly.

De Las Casas

A Spanish priest who opposed the Encomienda system using Indian labor, leading to new laws banning Indian labor.

Valladolid

A debate on Indian slavery and justice for natives that concluded with the verdict that African slaves should be used for labor.