AP US History Period 1

Teotihuacan

One of the largest cities to ever exist in Pre-Columbian America, it was an extensive city in Mesoamerica during the early 1st millennium. The city had a very large population and unique culture, creating many works of art and colossal pyramids. The city began to decline in the 5th century and nowadays very little is known about the people of the city itself.

Maya

One of the most advanced civilizations in the history of Pre-columbian America. They created many systems of mathematics, astronomy, and writing. They also have an extremely ahead-of-its-time calendar, known as the Long Count Calendar. The empire was composed of city-states centered around temples and palaces that remain in place today. The civilization slowly declined as the 2nd millennium came and by Columbus’s time they were mostly irrelevant.

Anasazi

A very unique civilization located within the Four Corners region. The barren, dry desert was once full of trees, and the people cultivated advanced farming techniques that allowed them to build a stable population in the area. Cities were constructed into the sides of cliffs. However, they did not replant their seeds, and so once the trees were all cut down, the civilization disappeared.

Cahokia

The center of Mississippian society and culture between 1000-1300 CE. Massive earthen mounds were created by a large population sustained with Maize and other crops. The site was also a hub for political power and economic trade. The decline of this settlement and its causes are unknown, but it is speculated that the depletion of environmental resources could be a reason why the settlement faded into irrelevancy.

Aztec

Arguably the most powerful Mesoamerican civilization of all time, this civilization sought power through conquest and war. They were heavily militaristic and formed a system of tributes that allowed them to control almost the entire region. They also had advanced architecture, building incredible temples in their capital Tenochtitlan. The population of the empire was, one of the largest of any Pre-Columbian civilization, with sophisticated farming techniques, access to Maize crop and efficient transportation enabling this. In the end, the civilization was brought down by conquistador Cortes and his army.

Another contender for the most historically significant Native American civilization, these people were the sole power in the Andes mountains and established a cultural capital in Cusco. They connected their empire with roads and bridges, and constructed religious sanctuaries like Machu Picchu with their masterful engineering. They grew a large population not through maize like other Native American tribes, but with potatoes. Alongside the invention of terrace farming, they also created many unique government structures, with a system of labor taxation that resembles many current taxation systems in modern countries. The empire met its end with the conquests of Pizarro and the creation of the Viceroyalty of La Plata.

Renaissance

A period of revitalization in the arts and literature, science and technology, and culture in (primarily) Europe during the 1400-1500s.

Nation-State

The fusion of a central government and a large ethnically/culturally homogenous people who defer to said government.

Protestant Reformation

The split of the Catholic majority in Europe between Roman Catholics and Protestants. Caused further splits in the Christian religion into dozens of sects and denominations.

Lutheranism

The first Protestant Denomination, formed by Martin Luther and emphasizes scripture as the only authority.

Calvinism

Formed by John Calvin, this denomination believes that those who will be saved or damned are predestined from birth, and must live a strict lifestyle.

Anglicanism

Formed by King Henry VIII, this denomination is a fusion of Protestant and Catholic properties, and is almost exclusively practiced in England.

Christopher Columbus

Spanish explorer credited with discovering the New World. Sailed west in hope of finding a new trade route to India, but found himself in the New World instead. His three voyages enabled the colonization of the area as well as the Columbian Exchange.

Jacques Cartier

French explorer, was the first to explore the lands of Canada and fully mapped out the Saint Lawrence river.

Henry Hudson

English Explorer, worked with the Dutch to find a route in the northeast to bypass North America and reach India. He failed, but did map out more of Canada and the Hudson River.

Missionaries

“Faith merchants”, traveled to spread their religion.

Treaty of Tordesillas

Papal agreement between Spain and Portugal, drew a line to determine where the Iberian colonies would be placed. As a result, the Colony of Brazil and the Spanish Viceroyalties were formed.

Columbian Exchange

The exchange of plants, animals, diseases, and other things between the New World and Old World.

OW —> NW Crops

Wheat, Rice, Sugarcane, Coffee, Bananas, Grapes

NW —> OW Crops

Maize, Potatoes, Tomatoes, Cacao, Tobacco, Peanuts

OW —> NW Animals

Horses, Cattle, Pigs

NW —> OW Animals

Turkeys, Llamas, Guinea Pigs

OW —> NW Diseases

Smallpox, Measles, Influenza, Malaria, Yellow Fever

NW —> OW Diseases

Syphilis

Council of Indies

Division of the government in the Spanish Empire, serves to moderate Spanish colonies.

Conquistadores

Spanish and Portuguese colonists who undertook to conquer, destroy, and exploit Native American civilizations.

Encomiendas

Spanish plantations where Native Americans worked as slaves and harvested cash crops.

Valladolid Debate

The Encomienda system was controversial, and so a debate was held over whether it was ethical to take Native Americans as slaves. One priest, Bartolome De Las Casas, argued that Native Americans were equal in intelligence and value as Spaniards, and used the great structures and arts they had constructed to prove this. Another priest, Juan Gines de Sepulveda, argued that Native Americans were less than human and made by God as servants. He “proved” this with the authoritarian nature of civilizations like the Aztecs, where most of the Natives served a common authority with their life. In the end, while Las Casas did help establish some basic rights for Native Americans, the Encomienda system was established.

Asiento System

Replaced the Encomienda system after the Native populations were decimated by disease. Wealthy landowners or conquistadores were awarded African slaves to use.

Peninsulares

Spanish people born in Spain, living/working in the Colonies.

Creoles

Spanish people born in the Spanish colonies of Spanish parents.

Mestizos

People born in the Spanish colonies of both Spanish and Native American parents. These would develop a distinct culture, and would soon become the majority of the population.