Unit 1 APUSH Terms

Key vocabulary to help with the understanding of Unit 1.

Pre-Columbian Great Plains Settlements (Pre-1492)

1) Lived in a variety of nomadic and sedentary communities.

2) Nomadic tribes such as the Cheyenne, Arapaho, and Crow lived in tepees and hunted animals such as buffalo on foot.

3) Sedentary tribes such as the Hidasta lived in earthen lodges and farmed what became known as the "three sisters" - corn, beans, and squash.

Pre-Columbian Mississippi River Settlements (Pre-1492)

1) Fertile soil and abundant rivers allowed natives to grow surpluses of corn, beans, and squash.

2) Natives built substantial towns, such as Cahokia, which were highly populated and served as centers of trade.

3) Natives built earthen pyramids or mounds, which were topped by wooden temples.

Pre-Columbian Southwest Settlements (Pre-1492)

1) The Pueblo people were one of the first tribes to cultivate maize (corn) in America.

2) The Pueblo people developed complex irrigation systems to maintain crops in the hot, arid climate.

3) The Pueblo created intricate cliff dwellings at places like Chaco Canyon that housed large populations and served as hubs for trade.

Maize Cultivation (Pre-1492)

1) Refers to the growing of corn.

2) Native societies that adopted corn grew larger and more sophisticated over time such as the Aztec and Mayas.

3) Cultivation of corn began in central Mexico and slowly spread to other parts of North America.

Columbian Exchange (1492)

1) Transfer of goods, crops, and diseases between the New and Old Worlds following Columbus' voyage to America.

2) Diseases such as smallpox, influenza, and the measles were brought over to the New World by Europeans, greatly reducing the Native American population.

3) New crops such as corn, squash, beans, potatoes, and tomatoes were brought over to the Old World improving the diets of Europeans and Africans and leading to population growth.

Conquistadores (1500s)

1) Motivated by “God, Gold, and Glory,” these Spanish explorers sought to spread Christianity, gain wealth through conquest, and win personal and national prestige.

2) Their conquests reshaped the Atlantic World by enriching Spain, expanding Catholicism, and setting the foundation for the encomienda system.

3) Hernán Cortés led an expedition that overthrew the Aztec Empire (1519–1521), securing enormous wealth and territory for Spain.

Fur Trade (1500s)

1) Trade alliance that developed between Northeast Native American tribes and Europeans such the French, Dutch, and English.

2) Native Americans would trade beaver skins for European goods such as guns, brass kettles, and alcohol.

3) Native American tribes competed for control of the fur trade, which occasionally led to conflicts between native groups such as the Beaver Wars.

Iroquois Confederation (1500s)

1) Loose alliance of 5 tribes, which included the Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, and Seneca. Alliances like this one were rare. Traditionally, native tribes were independent and competed with one another.

2) The alliance was created by the prophet Deganawida and his disciple Hiawatha in order to unify the tribes and end the violent fighting between Iroquois nations.

3) It is considered to be one of the oldest democracies, and its constitution, the Great Law of Peace, was a model for the U.S. Constitution.

Encomienda System (1512-1542)

1) A labor system whereby the Spanish crown granted the conquerors the right to forcibly employ groups of Indians.

2) It was a disguised form of Native American slavery.

3) The Spanish justified their control of native peoples through religion.

Asiento System (1500s-1700s)

1) As Native Americans died off in large numbers due to disease, overwork, and resistance, Spain looked to fill labor shortages in their colonies.

2) Spain contracted Portuguese merchants (and later British merchants) to supply enslaved Africans to Spanish colonies.

3) This system brought about a quarter of a million enslaved Africans into the Spanish colonies and signalled a shift away from Native American slavery and toward African slavery in the Americas.

Bartolome de Las Casas (1510-1560)

1) As a Catholic priest, he devoted most of his life to protecting American Indians from exploitation and arguing against Native American slavery.

2) Defended Native Americans at the Valladolid Debate in 1550.

3) His major achievement was the New Laws of 1542, which limited the ability of Spanish settlers to compel Indians to labor.

Mulatto & Mestizo (1500s)

1) Mulatto is the offspring of Europeans and Africans.

2) Mestizo is the offspring of Europeans (Spanish) and indigenous persons.

3) These offspring added to the re-population of the Western Hemisphere and also created a social hierarchy, with Europeans having the most power.

Pueblo Revolt (1680)

1) Native American revolt against the Spanish in late 17th century, which was caused by Spanish attempts to convert Indians to Catholicism.

2) Natives expelled the Spanish for over 10 years from the region.

3) As a result, the Spanish began to take an accommodating approach to Natives after the revolt.