Period 1: Pre-Columbian Societies (1491-1607)

This set of flashcards covers key vocabulary and concepts from the lecture on Pre-Columbian societies and early European colonization in the Americas.

Pre-Columbian societies

Cultures and societies in the Americas before European exploration.

Encomienda System

A system used by the Spanish in the New World to enslave Native Americans for labor.

Columbian Exchange

The transfer of plants, animals, and diseases between the Americas and Europe, Africa, and Asia.

Treaty of Tordesillas

A 1494 agreement between Spain and Portugal dividing lands in the New World.

Mestizos

People of mixed Indian and Spanish ancestry in colonial Latin America.

Bartolomé de Las Casas

A Spanish priest who advocated for the humane treatment of Native Americans.

Pueblo Revolt

A 1680 uprising of Pueblo Indians against Spanish colonization in present-day New Mexico.

Spanish Conquest

The period of Spanish exploration and military campaigns that led to the domination of indigenous empires such as the Aztecs and Incas.

Mercantilism

An economic policy where nations sought to gain wealth through trade and accumulation of resources.

Was the term 'Columbian Exchange' referring to?

The exchange between the New World and Old World including crops, livestock, and diseases.

What were the 'Three Sisters' in Native American agriculture?

Maize, beans, and squash, which were staple crops planted together.

What were the dominant European powers in the Americas during colonization?

Spain, France, and England, each employing different colonization strategies.

Plymouth Colony

Settled by English Pilgrims in 1620, it represents one example of early English colonization.

What was the role of missionaries in French colonies?

Missionaries attempted to convert Native Americans to Christianity and documented their cultures.

What was the significance of Jamestown?

Founded in 1607, it was the first permanent English settlement in North America.

What is meant by 'Frontier of Inclusion'?

A term describing the Spanish and French approaches to intermarriage and alliances with Native Americans.

What is meant by 'Frontier of Exclusion'?

A term describing the English approach of minimizing interactions and intermarriage with Native Americans.