APUSH unit 1 key terms

Maize cultivation

The growing of corn (maize), a major food source for many Native American societies.

Hunter-gatherer economy

An economy based on hunting animals, fishing, and gathering wild plants rather than farming.

Western Hemisphere

The half of Earth containing North and South America.

Great Basin

A dry region in the western United States where many Native groups relied on hunting, gathering, and adapting to limited water and resources.

Agricultural economy

An economy in which farming and the production of crops are the main sources of food and wealth.

Great Plains

A large grassland region in central North America where many Native peoples hunted buffalo and practiced agriculture.

Permanent villages

Settlements where people lived in one place for long periods instead of constantly moving in search of food.

Political autonomy

The ability of a group or community to govern itself and make its own political decisions.

Cultural autonomy

The ability of a group to maintain its own language, traditions, beliefs, and way of life without being forced to adopt another culture.

Columbian Exchange

The widespread exchange of plants, animals, diseases, people, and goods between the Eastern and Western Hemispheres after Columbus's voyages.

Plantation-based agriculture

Large-scale farming, often producing crops for export, using large amounts of labor.

Capitalism

An economic system based on private ownership, investment, competition, and the pursuit of profit.

Encomienda system

A Spanish colonial system in which colonists received the right to demand labor and tribute from Native Americans.

Slave labor

Work performed by people who are forced to work without freedom or the ability to leave.

Feudalism

A medieval European economic and political system based on land ownership and obligations between nobles and peasants.

West Africa

The region of Africa along the Atlantic coast with numerous kingdoms involved in the Atlantic slave trade.

White superiority

The belief that white people are naturally superior to people of other racial groups, historically used to justify domination.

Empire building

The expansion of a country's power by conquering or controlling additional territories and peoples.