AP United States History

Bering Strait Land Bridge

a land connection that existed during the last Ice Age, allowing early humans and animals to migrate from Asia to North America.

maize (corn)

a staple crop domesticated by the Aztecs, crucial for their economies

Incas

the largest empire in the Americas, and developed a complex administrative system and large network of paved roads under a single government, practiced animism, and used waru-waru irrigation

animism

the belief that components of the physical world could possess supernatural abilities

Aztecs

a Mesoamerican civilization known for its pyramids, sophisticated agricultural practices, and tribute-based economy, centered in what is now Mexico

Tenochtitlan

the capital of the Aztec Empire, a Native American city that featured large and impressive public buildings, sweeping step pyramids, schools, an organized military, medical system, and a slave workforce drawn from conquered tribes

Mississippians

a group of Native American cultures that thrived in the southeastern United States, known for their mound-building, trade networks, and agricultural practices.

matrilineal society

children became members of their mother’s family, not father’s

Iroquois

a prominent Native American confederation in the northeastern United States, known for its advanced political system and matrilineal culture.

Pueblos

Native American peoples known for their adobe dwellings and three sister farming in the American Southwest

usufruct rights

indigenous families owned the right to use the land for hunting, gathering, planting, not the land itself

coverture

a doctrine where a woman surrendered her legal identity

Great Plains Native Americans

Indigenous tribes in North America who adapted to the vast grasslands, relying on buffalo hunting and nomadic lifestyles

Cahokia

a pre-Columbian Mississippian city known for its large earthen mounds and significant trade networks

Five Nation Confederacy

a historic alliance of five Native American tribes, including the Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, and Seneca, that provided governance and collective defense

three sister farming

a farming system developed by Native American tribes in which maize, beans, and squash were grown together to maximize agricultural output and sustainability

buffalo

a large North American mammal that was significant to Native American culture and provided food, clothing, and tools

protestant reformation

a religious movement in the 16th century that sought to reform the Roman Catholic Church and led to the establishment of various Protestant denominations

black death

a devastating pandemic that struck Europe in the 14th century, leading to the death of millions and significant social and economic changes

caravel

a small, fast sailing ship used by the Portuguese and Spanish in the 15th to 17th centuries for exploration and trade

Christopher Columbus

an Italian explorer who completed four voyages across the Atlantic Ocean, opening the way for the widespread European exploration and colonization of the Americas

10/12/1492

the date when Christopher Columbus first arrived in the Americas

Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand

the Catholic Monarchs of Spain who funded Columbus's voyages and played a crucial role in the exploration and unification of Spain

Hispaniola

the first island in the Caribbean where Columbus landed during his voyages, now split between Haiti and the Dominican Republic

treaty of tordesillas

divided the western hemisphere into two halves, “giving” one to Spain and the other to Portugal

Hernan Cortes

Spanish conquistador known for leading the expedition that caused the fall of the Aztec Empire and claimed Mexico for Spain

conquistadores

Spanish explorers and soldiers who sought to conquer new territories in the Americas, often through military force and colonization

Fransisco Pizarro

Spanish conquistador who led the expedition that conquered the Inca Empire in present-day Peru, claiming vast territories for Spain

requiermiento

required indigenous people to recognize the christian god and the authority of the catholic church. if they refused, they could be enslaved or killed

causes of exploration and conquest

desire for wealth, territorial expansion, European competition and the spread of Christianity

mercantilism

an economic theory that emphasizes the role of government in controlling trade and commerce to benefit the nation

Columbian exchange

the transmission or exchange of plants, animals, disease, knowledge about food and technology, as well as culture between Europe (the “Old World”), and the New World in 1492

new worlds for all

the concept of mutual exchange and adaptation between indigenous peoples and European settlers, resulting in a blending of cultures and practices

joint-stock companies

corporations (the first) in which shares of a company’s stock could be bought and sold by shareholders

smallpox

a highly contagious disease introduced to the Americas by Europeans that had devastating effects on indigenous populations

modern culinary world

refers to the diverse and globalized landscape of food, cooking techniques, and gastronomic practices influenced by various cultures and innovations

atlantic slave trade

the forced transportation of enslaved Africans to the Americas, primarily for labor on plantations

population growth

the increase in the number of individuals in a population

shift from feudalism to capitalism

the transition in economic systems where land ownership and labor dynamics changed, leading to market-driven economies and private property rights

beasts of burden

animals used for heavy labor, such as carrying loads or plowing fields

encomienda system

a system by which Spaniards were given a group of indigenous people by the Spanish monarchy for the purpose of labor

settler colonialism

a system of oppression based on genocide and colonialism, that aims to displace a population of a nation and replace it with a new settler population

sugarcane

a tropical crop cultivated mainly for sugar production, often using enslaved labor

repartimiento system

those living in indigenous villages were legally free and deserving of compensation for labor

middle passage

the sea voyage that transported enslaved Africans to the Americas, characterized by inhumane conditions and high mortality rates

olaudah equiano

a former enslaved African who became a prominent abolitionist and author. his autobiography, detailing his experiences in slavery and the middle passage, helped raise awareness about the inhumanity of slavery

casta system

a hierarchical system in colonial Mexico that categorized individuals based on racial ancestry, determining social status and legal rights

mestizo

a person of mixed European and Indigenous ancestry in colonial Latin America, often occupying a middle social status in the casta system

divergent worldviews

the varying perspectives and cultural understandings shaped by different historical, social, and geographical contexts, often leading to differing interpretations of events and values

assimilation

the process by which individuals or groups adopt the cultural norms of another group, often leading to a loss of specific cultural identity

catholicism

the largest Christian denomination, characterized by its adherence to the authority of the Pope, sacraments, and traditions of the Church, particularly influential in Latin America

bartolome de las casas

known for advocating for the rights of Indigenous peoples in the Americas, critiquing the mistreatment they faced during Spanish colonization

juan sepulvida

defended the Spanish conquest and colonization of the Americas, arguing against the rights of Indigenous peoples

valladolid debates

addressing the treatment and rights of Indigenous peoples, involving key figures like Bartolomé de las Casas and Juan Sepúlveda

competing colonialisms

refers to the various European powers' efforts to dominate territories and populations in the Americas, often leading to conflict and differing ideologies on Indigenous rights

jamestown

the first permanent English settlement in North America, established in 1607 in Virginia

quebec

the first permanent French settlement in North America

new york

originally established as New Amsterdam by the Dutch in 1624, it became a major trading post and was later taken over by the English in 1664

mexico city

the capital of Mexico, originally founded as Tenochtitlán by the Aztecs in 1325, it became the center of Spanish colonial rule

fur

trade was a significant economic activity in colonial North America, involving the exchange of animal pelts primarily between European colonists and Native Americans

intermarriage

a social practice in colonial America that encouraged alliances between European settlers and Native American tribes through marriage, impacting cultural exchange and relations

new orleans

a major port city founded by the French in 1718, it became a cultural and economic hub in the southern United States, known for its diverse heritage and vibrant music scene

henry hudson

known for his voyages to North America in the early 17th century, he is credited with exploring the Hudson River and seeking a northwest passage

reconquista

the centuries-long campaign by Christian kingdoms in Spain to recapture territory from Muslim rulers, culminating in the fall of Granada in 1492

ireland

the island to the west of Great Britain, known for its rich cultural history, landscape, and historical conflicts between its two main communities, nationalist and unionist

buccaneers

pirates or privateers who raided Spanish settlements in the Caribbean during the 17th century

francis drake

known for his circumnavigation of the globe and raids against Spanish ships and settlements in the late 16th century

henry morgan

known for his successful raids against Spanish settlements in the Caribbean during the late 17th century