APUSH Period 1 Key Terms/Concepts/People

Aztecs

Ancient Mesoamerican civilization in central Mexico known for their complex society, agriculture, and monumental architecture. Their capital, Tenochtitlan, was a major urban center.

Maya

Ancient Mesoamerican civilization known for advanced mathematical and astronomical systems, written language, and significant architecture

Inca

Ancient civilization in South America known for their vast empire along the Andes, sophisticated agricultural practices, extensive road systems, architecture, and fertile mountain valleys.

Pueblo people

Indigenous peoples in the American Southwest known for their sedentary lifestyle, agriculture, and architecture built into cliffs.

Ute people

Indigenous people of the Great Basin known for their nomadic lifestyle and hunting-gathering economy.

Chinook people

Indigenous people of the Pacific Northwest known for their fishing villages, maritime skills, and they relied on elk.

Chumash people

Indigenous people of California known for their skilled craftsmanship, permanent settlements, and hunter-gathering skills.

Hopewell people

Indigenous people from the Ohio River Valley known for their fertile soil and more complex societies as well as trade networks.

Cahokia people

Indigenous people known for creating the largest settlement, had trade networks, and a government led by chiefs.

Iroquois people

Indigenous people from the northeastern US known for their longhouses, and crops such as maize, squash, and beans.

The Columbian Exchange

The transfer of plants, animals, humans, diseases, and ideas between Africa, Europe, and the Americas following Christopher Columbus's voyages.

Hernan Cortes

A Spanish conquistador who led the expedition that caused the fall of the Aztec Empire and destroyed the people of Tenochtitlan with small pox.

Feudalism

A social and economic system that dominated medieval Europe, characterized by peasants who worked for nobles in exchange for protection

Mercantilism

An economic theory that emphasizes the role of trade in increasing a nation's wealth, advocating that government intervention is necessary to achieve a positive balance of trade. It promotes exports over imports.

Encomienda System

A labor system in colonial Spanish America that granted colonists authority over indigenous people, requiring them to provide labor and tribute in exchange for protection and Christianization.

Requerimiento

A legal document read to indigenous people by Spanish conquistadors, outlining their obligation to accept Spanish rule and Christianity, often under coercive circumstances.

Caste System

A hierarchical social structure in colonial Spanish America, categorizing individuals based on their race and ancestry, influencing social status and rights.

Pueblo Revolt

A 1680 uprising of Pueblo Indians against Spanish colonizers in present-day New Mexico, aimed at ending oppressive Spanish rule and restoring native traditions.

Bartolome de las Casas

A Spanish Dominican friar and missionary who advocated for the rights of indigenous peoples and opposed their mistreatment by colonizers, UNLIKE other spaniards

Spanish Hegemony

The Spanish dominance over its colonies in the Americas, characterized by political, economic, and cultural control.