APUSH Unit 1 & 2: Early Contact with the New World (1491-1607) and Colonization of North America (1607-1754)

City upon a hill

refers to the idea of creating a perfect society based on Puritan beliefs. popularized by John Winthrop, who envisioned the Massachusetts Bay Colony as an example for others to follow

Enconmienda

a land grant program designed to attract settlers to the British colonies in North America. they were granted a certain amount of land for each person whose passage they paid to Virginia.

headright system

a land grant program designed to attract settlers to the British colonies in North America. they were granted a certain amount of land for each person or indentured servant whose passage they paid to Virginia.

indentured servitude

a labor system where individuals, usually Europeans seeking passage to the American colonies, would work for a certain number of years (typically 4-7) in exchange for their transportation and basic needs. they were legally bound to their masters and had limited rights.

joint-stock company

business entity where different stocks can be brought and owned by shareholders. each shareholder owns company stock in proportion to their ownership stakes

mercantilism

an economic theory that advocates for a positive balance of trade, which exports exceed imports. popular during the 16th and 18th centuries and emphasized the accumulation of wealth (gold and silver)

accumulating wealth at the expense of others

middle passage

the part of trade where Africans, densely packed too ships and were transported across the Atlantic to the West Indies

praying towns

settlements established by English colonial governments in New England to convert local Native Americans to Christianity

pre-columbian era

Native American groups had complex societies with many languages, religions, economies, political systems, cities, trade, etc.

proprietary colony

a type of colony where the king of England granted land to one or more individuals, known as proprietors, who had full governing rights over the colony.

revivalism

period of intense religious enthusiasm and fervor that typically involves large-scale religious meetings and conversions. characterized by individuals seeking spiritual renewal and personal salvation

royal colony

a type of colony in colonial America that was directly governed by the British Crown, which picked a governor to run the colony and make rules. these colonies followed the British gov orders closely

salutary neglect

Britain’s unofficial approach of relaxed enforcement of trade regulations and limited interference in colonial affairs during the late 17th and early 18th centuries

slavery

people forced to work without pay, treated as property, and don’t have the freedom to leave. mostly involved Africans who were brought to the Americas and forced to work on plantations and farms

spanish mission system

religious and military institutions established by the Spanish Empire in colonial-era California. served as centers for converting indigenous people to Christianity and facilitating colonization

tariffs

taxes that governments put on goods that are imported from other countries. they encouraged people to buy American made goods

Bacon’s Rebelion

an armed rebellion in 1676 by Virginia poor white farmers led by Nathaniel Bacon against the rule of Governor William Berkeley because they were unhappy with how Berkeley was dealing with Native American threats on the frontier (wealthy tobacco planters of Virginia)

The Columbian Exchange

(1492) the widespread transfer of plants, animals, culture, human populations, technology, diseases, and ideas between the Americas (New World) and the Old World (Europe, Asia, and Africa) following Christopher Columbus’s voyages

First Great Awakening

(1730s-1740s) religious revival that swept through the British American colonies during the mid-1700s. resulted in increased religious diversity and challenged established authority within churches

Salem witch trials

(1692-1693) series of hearings and prosecutions of people accused of witchcraft in colonial Massachusetts

“starving time”

the winter of 1609-1610 when about 3 quarters of the English colonists in Virginia died of starvation or starvation-related diseases

Stono Rebellion

(1739) slave uprising that took place in colonial South Carolina. largest slave revolt in British North America before the American Revolution

Anne Hutchinson

Puritan spiritual adviser whose strong religious convictions led to the Antinomian Controversy in the Massachusetts Bay Colony and her eventual banishment

Bartholome de las Casas

16th century Spanish historian, social reformer, and Dominican friar. became famous for his advocacy for better treatment of Native Americans in Spanish colonies and is considered one of the first advocates for universal human rights

Calvinist

believe in religious teachings established by John Calvin, a Protestant reformer during the 16th century. Emphasize predestination, the idea that God has already determined who will be saved or damned, as well as the concept of total depravity, which states that all humans are inherently sinful

Christopher Columbus

Italian explorer who discovered the New World

Congregationalists

Christian religious group that believes each local church should govern itself independently without outside control of a higher authority, like a bishop or a pope

conquistadors

explorers and conquerors from Spain who ventured into the New World to expand Spanish territory, spread Christianity, and acquire wealth through exploration and conquest

George Whitefield

founded Methodism and evangelical movement

John Rolfe

English settler that introduced tobacco as a cash crop in the Virginia Colony. impacted the economy and development of the colony, leading to success

John Smith

English explorer and soldier who helped establish Jamestown, Virginia

Jonathan Edwards

American revivalist preacher, philosopher, and Congregationalist theologian. Known for preaching during “The Great Awakening” which centered on reviving dedication to God

Maroons/Maroon Groups

escaped slaves in America that formed communities in remote areas

Mestizos

individuals of mixed racial ancestry, specifically of European (Spanish or Portuguese) and indigenous American descent

pilgrims

group of English Puritans who set sail for the New World in 1620. sought religious freedom and established the Plymouth Colony in Massachusetts

plains tribes

inhabited the Great Plains regions. nomadic and relied on hunting, gathering, and trading

Pocahontas

Native American princess of the Powhatan tribe. encountered English settler John Rolfe and her efforts to bridge the gap between Natives and English

The Powhatan Confederacy

group of Native American tribes during the 17th century that settled in Virginia in the Jamestown area

Pueblo people

Native American tribes who live in the Southwestern United States (Arizona and New Mexico). known for unique architecture of multistory houses from adobe & stone

Puritans

group of English protestants in the 16th and 17th centuries who sought to purify the Church of England from its “Catholic” practices, maintaining that the Church was only partially reformed

Roger Williams

Puritan minister who founded Rhodesia Island after being banished from Massachusetts Bay Colony for his belief in separation of church and state and religious tolerance

Separatism

the pursuit of self-governance or independence by a particular group within a larger state. involves advocation or secession from the existing state in order to establish a separate political entity

Virginia Company

English joint-stock company with the purpose of establishing colonial settlements in North America

Wampanoags

from northeastern region of North America. key players in the early interactions between Natives and English settlers

Bering Land Bridge

strip of land connecting Siberia and Alaska that emerged during the Ice Age. served as a migration route for people, plants, and animals between Eurasia and North America

The Chesapeake

area in colonial America that encompasses present-day Virginia and Maryland. primarily settled by English colonists seeking economic opportunities, especially in tobacco farming

Jamestown

(1607) first established settlement in North America by English settlers from London Company

Massachusetts Bay Colony

English settlement established on the east coast of North America during the early 17th century. Founded by Puritan settlers seeking to establish a pure church in the New World

Middle colonies

in British colonial America (involved New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware) and known for diversity, rich soil and successful farming

New England

northeaster part of the US (consisted of Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut). among the earliest English settlements in America

The Act of Toleration

(1649), or Maryland toleration act, which ranted religious freedom to Christians living in Maryland but death penalty for anyone denying Jesus’ divinity

Halfway Covenant

policy in colonial New England that allowed children of church members to be baptized and become partial church members, even if they hadn’t experienced a full religious conversion themselves. allowed more people to participate in Church

Mayflower Compact

document created by the Pilgrims aboard the ship Mayflower in 1620, which established a self-governing colony in Plymouth. served as an early form of democratic gov in the English colonies

Navigation Acts

series of laws passed by British Parliament in the 17th and 18th centuries that regulated trade between England and its colonies. designed to promote British shipping and allow Britain to reap the benefits of colonial trade

Powhatan War

1610-1677, one of the earliest conflicts between English settlers and Powhatan confederacy in Virginia over territorial disputes. As a result, Natives were granted reservation land, one of the earliest examples of this practice

The Pequot War

1636-1638, settlers wanted to live in the Connecticut Valley, as it was fertile and had lots of access to the sea (for trae). it was already inhabited by Pequot, who attacked the colonists. The Massachusetts Bay Colony retaliated by burning down the main Pequot village, killing 400 people.

The Beaver Wars

(1628-1701) Iroquois Confederacy, with English allies, fought frequently with the French of the Great Lakes region over fur and fishing rights. when beaver numbers declined due to over harvesting, trappers began experiencing conflict. one of the bloodiest wars

Decline of the Huron Confederacy

(1634-1649) their population declined due to smallpox and constant conflicts with other tribes for fur rights. they were allied with the French during the 7 years war

King Philip’s War

(1675-1678) Metacomet, the leader of the Wampanoag tribe led attacks on several settlements as colonists were attempting to convert them to English culture and religion. They destroyed many English settlements, but then Metacomet died, the alliance fell apart and the colonists devastated the tribes

The Pueblo Revolt

(1680) the Spanish wanted to maintain control of the Southwest, but the Pueblo people of New Mexico led a revolt against them, killing hundreds and driving them out of the region. When the Spanish returned in 1962, they were more accommodating to them due to the fear of another conflict

The Chickasaw Wars

(1721-1763) The Chickasaw tribe (allied with the British) fought the Choctaw (allied with the French) for control of the land around the Mississippi River. Native Americans had guns from the Europeans so things were WILD. These conflicts were halted due to the Treaty of Paris signed at the end of the 7 Years War

Decline of the Catawba Nation

(1700s) one of the most powerful and numerous tribe in the Carolina Piedmont. they were allied with the colonists and even fought alongside the Patriots in the Revolutionary War. suffered constant warfare with other tribes and weakened by smallpox.