Unit 1 Flashcards

What were the common characteristics of Native cultures in the New World?

What were the common characteristics of Native cultures in the New World?

• great at agriculture and hunting/gathering

What were important differences among the Native cultures in the New World?

• Had different

  • languages

  • religions

  • rivalries

What fundamental factors led to Europe’s increased desire to explore, conquer and settle the New World?

• Europeans wanted to control more, gain more power and wealth 

• Rivalry between Portugal and Spain

• The printing press, Mariners Compass, and other advancements helped Europe explore more

What was the Columbian Exchange specifically?

• the transfer of animals, plants, and diseases from the East to the West and the West to the East

How did the arrival of European colonists change Native American lifestyles?

• the European colonists began pushing out the Natives which forced the Natives out of their land

• introduced new goods, diseases, and culture. 

Who/what was the Iroquois Confederacy (40-41)

• an alliance of six Native American Nations which had a sophisticated political system

  1. Mohawk

  2. Oneida

  3. Onondaga

  4. Cayuga

  5. Seneca

  6. Tuscarora

Vasco da Gama

Treaty of Tordesillas (1494)

• divides Spanish and Portuguese empires 

  • aimed to resolve conflicts over newly discovered lands by Christopher Columbus and other explorers

Hernan Cortes

Encomienda System

•  forced labor of Natives by Spanish, under disguise of missionary work and/or “protection”

• Spanish would give them gift of Catholicism and protection and ask for slavery as return 

Mestizos

• people of mixed European (Spanish or Portuguese) and Indigenous American ancestry

“Black Legend”

• Exaggerated portrayal of Spanish colonial rule and its impact on the people of the Americans

• highlights brutality and exploitation by Spanish colonizers, focusing on the mistreatment of Indigenous people 

Pueblo Revolt

a revolution against Spanish religious, economic, and political institutions imposed upon the Pueblos

Describe French colonization in the America’s. Include locations, religious motivations, economic factors, and relationships with Native Americans.

• mainly interested in the trading market

• traded fur and pelted and attempted to bring the native into trade

  • ended up only giving them disease

• took over the WHOLE of the Mississippi

• released catholic missionaries to help convert the natives into catholics.  

What were some factors that led England to begin colonization?

• Economic motives - English had high unemployment and poverty rates

• Competition with Spain and Portugal 

• Overpopulation 

• Joint-Stock Companies

Jamestown

Joint-stock company

• people invest in joint-stock companies —> money would be used to create colony —> made money of colony was successful

John Smith

• one of the original settlers of Jamestown 

• befriended and negotiated with the Powhatans

• had to return to England in 1609 because of a gunpowder accident 

Pocahontas

• acted as a mediator between English and local Powhatan tribe

• married John Rolfe to bring peace between the Powhatans and the English 

Powhatan/English relationship/wars

Describe the Dutch’s impact on the America’s, specifically with New York City/New Amsterdam.

• Dutch arrived in New York being led by Henry Hudson

• Dutch did not get along with a lot of people, they had tense relations with many

• however in the end they left their impact with the naming of New York. 

John Trumbull

• an American artist and one of the most prominent paints of the early US

• known for his historical paintings that depict pivortal events of the American Revolutionary War

Who were the Quakers?

• a Christian denomination founded in the mid-17th century by George Fox in England

• believed in the inner light of God within everyone, emphasizing the direct personal experience of God, pacifism, and equality

What did the Quaker’s believe and how did it challenge common social practices of the time within the Colonies?

• Quakers believed in the inherent equality of all people → challenging social hierarchies, including gender roles and class distinctions

• Opposed war and violence → conflicted with the prevalent norms of colonial societies that were often involved in conflicts

• Promoted religious freedom and tolerance → established church’s control and persecuted other religious groups

House of Burgesses

• The first elected legislative assembly in the American colonies was established in Virginia

  • marked an early step toward self-governance and representative democracy → laid the groundwork for future American political institutions by allowing colonists to have a voice in their own government

The Act of Toleration

• passed in Maryland

• granted religious freedom to all Christians and was an early effort to protect religious diversity

Mayflower Compact

• was a social contract signed by the Pilgrims aboard the Mayflower, establishing a self-governing colony based on majority rule

• example of a democratic agreement that emphasized the importance of consent and collective decision-making, influencing the development of democratic practices in the United States.

Salutary Neglect

• British policy in the 17th and early 18th centuries

• allowed the American colonies considerable freedom from strict enforcement of trade regulations and parliamentary laws

• colonies developed a degree of self-governance and autonomy, fostering the growth of local institutions, economic innovation, and political structures independent of direct British control

• colonists took advantage of this freedom to establish their own trading practices, legislative assemblies, and societal norms

What was the Great Awakening?

a period when spirituality and religious devotion were revived

What were the causes of the great awakening?

• decline in religious interest

• rise of enlightenment thought

• movement into frontier areas

  • provided more oppurtunities for revisits preachers to reach settlers without formal religious structures

• Evangelical preachers revitalized religion with large and emotional sermons

  • Ex: Johnathan Edward’s, George Whitefield

What were the effects of the Great Awakening?

1. Increased church attendance and growth of New and Revitalized protestant denominations

2. democratized religion by promoting personal faith and challenging established church authorities, affecting social norms.

3. revival fostered a shared American identity and unity, influencing the ideological climate before the American Revolution.

4.  contributed to a more diverse religious landscape, shaping the religious freedoms and practices in early American society

Headright System (1600s)

• granted land to colonists who paid for the transportation of indentured servants to the American colonies

• prompted the use of indentured servitude as a means to populate and cultivate land → The supply of indentured servants was still inconsistent, leading to labor shortages on plantations and in other colonial enterprises

Bacon’s Rebellion (1676)

• led by Nathaniel Bacon w/other frontier settlers and indentured servants

• revolted against the colonial government of Virginia

• fueled by frustrations over limited economic opportunities, poor living conditions, and lack of protection from Native American attacks

• Showed the divide between the wealthy plantation owners and the lower class

Middle Passage

• rural voyage across the Atlantic Ocean endured by enslaved Africans being transported to the Americas

• key component of the transatlantic slave trade, which supplied the colonies with a constant influx of enslaved people

Triangular Trade

• involved a three-part economic system: 

  1. ships carrying manufactured goods from Europe to Africa

  2. slaves from Africa to the Americas (Middle Passage)

  3. colonial products like sugar and tobacco from the Americas back to Europe.

• reinforced the reliance on African slavery by integrating it into a global economic network

Explain how Puritan intolerance led to the expansion of New England.

• New England was dominated by Puritans → their strict religious views often led to intolerance of differing beliefs

• Religious disssenters and persecuted groups sought new lands where they could practice their faith freely → led to the acquisition of land grants and charters from the England Crown

  • Ex: the Connecticut River Valley was settled by Puritans and dissenters seeking better land and fewer restrictions

Slave Codes

• Colonial governments established “slave codes” to maintain control over the large enslaved population and to protect the economic interests of plantation owners

• Included strict rules regarding the treatment, movement, and behavior of enslaved individuals

  1. permitted severe punishment for disobedience and attempted escapes

  2. they sought to prevent any form of rebellion or resistance

• ensured a steady and controlled labor force, which was crucial for the profitability and stability of the sugar industry

• Ex: In the West Indies, codes like the "Barbados Slave Code" of 1661 established a legal basis for the harsh treatment of enslaved people and defined their status as property rather than individuals with rights. Similar codes were enacted in other Caribbean colonies.

New England Colonies States

Massachusetts, Hew Hampshire, Connecticut, Rhode Island

New England Colonies Religion

• heavily influenced by Puritanism

• Puritans sought to create a “city upon a hill” as a model Christian society

• Rhode Island was known for its religious tolerance and separation of church and state, contrasting with the other New England colonies.

New England Colonies Economy

• primarily based on small-scale farming, fishing, shipbuilding, and trade

• harsh climate and rocky soil made large-scale agriculture difficult

New England Colonies Ethnic/Racial Structure

• predominantly English with few Africans or Native Americans compared to other regions

• some diversity in Rhode Island due to its more tolerant nature

New England Colony Native Relations/Events

• significant conflicts including King Philip’s War (1675-1676) in Massachusetts

• was devastating for both sides and led to the decline of Native power in the region

New England Colonies Government

• often had town meetings and were known for their early forms of self-governance

• Massachusetts Bay Colony had a theocratic government initially, while Rhode Island promoted a more democratic and religiously tolerant model

New England Colonies Famous Contributors/Leaders

• John Winthrop (Massachusetts)

  • Governor and influential Puritan leader.

• Roger Williams (Rhode Island)

  • Founder of Rhode Island, advocate for religious freedom

Middle Colonies States

New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware

Middle Colonies Religion & Events

• Characterized by religious diversity

  • Quakers in Pennsylvania 

  • Catholics in Maryland

  • Dutch Reformed and Anglicans in New York and New Jersey

Middle Colonies Economy

• diverse with a mix of agriculture (grains and livestock), manufacturing, and trade

•  referred to as the "breadbasket" due to their grain production

Middle Colonies Ethnic/Racial Strcuture

• most ethnically diverse, with significant numbers of Germans, Dutch, Scots-Irish, and other groups living alongside English settlers

Middle Colones Native Relations/Events

• In Pennsylvania, William Penn’s policies of fair dealing were relatively successful, while in other areas, conflicts were more common, often driven by land disputes.

Middle Colonies Government

• many had proprietary governments

  • significant power was held by individuals or groups grants land by the crown

Middle Colonies Famous Contributors/Leaders

• William Penn (Pennsylvania) - Quaker leader and founder of Pennsylvania, known for his progressive policies and fair treatment of Native Americans.

• Peter Stuyvesant (New York) - Last Dutch director-general of New Netherland, whose administration was marked by attempts to fortify the colony before it was surrendered to the English.

Southern Colonies

Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia

Southern Colonies Religions & Events

• more Anglican and less religiously homogeneous character compared to New England

• Maryland was initially founded as a Catholic haven but quickly became predominantly Protestant

Southern Colonies Economy

• heavily reliant on plantation agriculture, with large-scale production of cash crops

  • tobacco in Virginia and Maryland

  • rice and indigo in the Carolinas,

  • cotton in Georgia

Southern Colonies Ethnic/Racial Structure

• significant African population due to the importation of enslaved people to work on plantation

• also a considerable European settler population

Southern Colonies Native Relations/Events

• Native American relations were often strained and led to conflicts like Bacon’s Rebellion (1676) in Virginia

  • highlighted tensions between settlers and both Native Americans and colonial authorities.

Southern Colonies Government

• Southern colonies had a mix of royal and proprietary governmentV

• irginia’s House of Burgesses was the first elected legislative assembly in the colonies

• Government was often dominated by wealthy planters.

Southern Colones Famous Contributers/Leaders

• George Washington (Virginia) - First President of the United States and key military leader during the American Revolution.

• Lord Baltimore (Cecilius Calvert) (Maryland) - Founder of Maryland and promoter of religious tolerance.