APUSH- Time period 1

1491-1607, terms to know

Maize

• extremely important to the first Native American settlements

• allowed NA to settle complex societies due to a substantial food source

• used for more than just food

• easily stored, long lasting

Tenochitlan

• capital of the Aztec empire, reached 5 million people at its peak

• advanced city for its time

• capital of the Aztec empire from 1325-1521

• shows complexity of NA settlements

Aztec empire

• 1325-1521

• wiped out by disease from spanish

• conquered by Hernan Cortes

• complex settlement

Iroquois

• NA tribe that served as a military threat to the European settlers

• deeply complex societies

• involved in trade (fur)

• autonomy remained from french and english

Protestant reformation

• 1517-1648

• broke away from catholic church

• idea of religious freedom allowed for creation of new branches of religions

• pushed europeans to the new world due to social, religious and political forces

• core values of the reformation inspired the founding fathers for the basis of US constitution

• created Puritan branch which correlates to settlements such as Massachusetts and Rhode island

• put the colonization of the Americas into effect

• shaped American culture

Columbian Exchange

• 1492-1800

• transfer of animals, plants disease, resources and slaves between the old and new world

• diseases wiped out most NAs, devastates the population

• introduced new crops from the Americas

• began the trans-atlantic slave trade

• involves Asia, Europe, the Americas, and Africa

• IDEAS

• causes wealth in europe, population is increased due to more diverse diets and healthier options, europe is recovered from plague

Christopher Columbus

• sails to the new world in 1492

• funded by isabella and ferdinand, catholic monarchs

• trying to find an alternate trade route to Asias

• many people follow him after he lands in the americas

• lands in Caribbean

• begins the columbian exchange

Bartolome de las Casas

• writes “ A Brief account of the devastation of the Indies”

• says spanish are barbarians for their treatment of the NAs

• sparks debate about Encomienda system and results in the “New Laws” which just force spaniards to pay the NAs (not sufficient change)

Encomienda system

• system of labor that uses NAs for cheap labor (enslave them)

• increases risk of disease and death

• cannot maintain system long term due to the increasing death rates and the decreasing birth rates

• unique to the Spanish empire

• connects back to the Spanish Reconquista when Spanish would enslave conquered muslim populations

• how it worked was there were indigenous people who were made to provide labor and tribute (paid them in food or clothing or useful resources) in exchange for protection from other tribes and religious guidance (catholicism)

• lasted from 15th to 18th century (peaked in 16th century)

Repartimiendo System

• replaced the encomienda system

• shorter periods of work

• groups were directly assigned from the crown

• supposed to reduce the maltreatment of NAs

Black legend

• propaganda spread about how the spanish were evil

• anti-catholic

• created from the cruelty and intolerance that the spanish displayed in regards to the NAs

• popular in England

New France

• less dense than New Spain

• focused on money not religion

• fur trade

• goal is to increase business and commerce

• allies w NAs for trade

• best relationship with NAs

Pueblo Revolt of 1680

• most successful indian revolt against the Europeans

Constantinople

• common area for Europeans to trade through/travel through

• conquered by the Ottoman’s in 1453, islamic people who did not let them trade or pass through without taxation

• dangerous

• byzantines had ruled for 1100 years (since 350 to 1453)

• used to be friendly and christian

• made trade more difficult for europeans

• part of the motivation to go to the new world

social and political crisis

• bubonic plague wipes out 35-50% of European population in the 1300’s

• economic system fails due to lack of people to support feudalism

• turn to mercantilism that calls for more trade markets which means expansion

• colonies were established to export raw materials and goods to mother country to facilitate income