APUSH Unit 1 `Test Vocab

Encomienda

A Spanish labor system that allowed colonists to demand tribute and forced labor from indigenous peoples, often leading to severe exploitation and population decline.

Castas

A hierarchical social system in colonial Spanish America that classified individuals based on race and ethnicity, determining their legal rights and social status.

Peninsulares

The highest social class in colonial Spanish America, consisting of individuals born in Spain who held significant political, economic, and social power.

Mestizos

Individuals of mixed European and indigenous ancestry, often occupying a middle social status in colonial Spanish America.

Missionaries

Individuals sent to spread Christianity and convert indigenous peoples, often establishing missions in colonial territories.

Columbian Exchange

The widespread transfer of plants, animals, culture, human populations, technology, and ideas between the Americas and the Old World after Christopher Columbus's voyages. (Europe brought lots of diseases) This exchange significantly altered both environments and societies, leading to profound changes in agriculture, food sources, and population dynamics in both regions.

Middle Passage

The horrific sea journey undertaken by enslaved Africans from West Africa to the Americas, characterized by overcrowding, disease, and high mortality rates.

Triangle Trade

A historical trading system between Europe, Africa, and the Americas, involving the exchange of goods and enslaved individuals, where slaves were transported to the Americas, raw materials were sent to Europe, and goods were traded for slaves in Africa.

Great Plains

A vast grassland region in North America, extending from Canada to Texas, characterized by flat terrain, prairie ecosystems, and historically inhabited by various Native American tribes.

Joint Stock Companies

business entities formed to finance colonial ventures and share profits and risks among investors.

Lost Colony

A failed English settlement established on Roanoke Island in 1587, where the fate of the colonists remains unknown after Governor John White returned from England to find the colony deserted in 1590.

Va Company of London

A joint stock company chartered in 1606 to establish settlements in North America, notably the founding of Jamestown in 1607.

Starving Time

The winter of 1609-1610 in Jamestown, during which colonists faced severe food shortages, leading to widespread starvation and death.

Uprising of 1622

An armed rebellion by the Powhatan Confederacy against English settlers in Virginia, resulting in significant casualties and changes in relations between Native Americans and colonists.

Cavaliers

Wealthy aristocrats who supported King Charles I during the English Civil War, many of whom migrated to Virginia and helped establish the plantation economy.

Bacon’s Rebellion

A 1676 uprising in Virginia led by Nathaniel Bacon against Governor William Berkeley's administration, highlighting tensions between frontiersmen and the colonial government.

Sir Walter Raleigh

An English explorer and writer who financed the failed Roanoke Colony, the first English settlement attempt in North America.

John Smith

An English soldier and adventurer, known for his role in the establishment of the Jamestown colony in Virginia. Smith is credited with the phrase "No work, no food" and played a significant role in exploring and mapping the region.

John Rolfe

An early English settler in Virginia, he is best known for introducing tobacco cultivation to the colony and marrying Pocahontas, which helped improve relations between the English settlers and Native Americans.

House of Burgesses

The first elected legislative assembly in the American colonies, established in Virginia in 1619. It marked the beginning of representative government in America.

Indentured Servants

Workers who exchanged several years of labor for passage to America and eventual land ownership.

Cash Crops

Agricultural products cultivated for sale, such as tobacco, cotton, and sugar. These crops were essential to the economy of the colonies and heavily influenced trade.

Nathaniel Bacon

A Virginia planter and leader of Bacon's Rebellion in 1676, which was an uprising against the Virginia government and its policies towards Native Americans and land ownership.

Bacon’s Rebellion

An armed rebellion in 1676 led by Nathaniel Bacon against the Virginia colonial government, primarily due to grievances over land and Native American policy.

Pueblo Revolt

A 1680 uprising of the Pueblo people against Spanish colonizers in present-day New Mexico, driven by oppression and attempts to suppress indigenous religious practices.

Pilgrims

A group of English settlers who established the Plymouth Colony in 1620 seeking religious freedom from the Church of England.

Puritans

Members of a religious group who sought to purify the Church of England, settling primarily in New England during the early 17th century.

Separatists

A faction of Puritans who sought to completely separate from the Church of England, advocating for a distinct form of worship and governance.

Non-Separatists

Puritans who remained within the Church of England, aiming to reform it rather than separate from it.

John Winthrop

A leading figure among the Puritans, he served as the first governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony and envisioned it as a "city upon a hill" that would exemplify Puritan ideals.

Mayflower Compact

An agreement established by the Pilgrims aboard the Mayflower in 1620 to create a government based on majority rule for the Plymouth Colony.

Pequot War

A conflict between the Pequot tribe and English settlers in New England from 1636 to 1638, it resulted in the near destruction of the Pequot Nation and marked a significant moment in the expansion of English colonies.

Halfway Covenant

A form of partial church membership created by New England Puritan colonists in 1662, allowing the unconverted offspring of church members to be baptized and thus become visible members of the church.

King Philip’s War

A conflict between Native American inhabitants of New England and English colonists from 1675 to 1676, it was led by Metacom, known as King Philip, and resulted in a significant loss of life and land for Native Americans.

Salem Witch Trials

A series of hearings and prosecutions of people accused of witchcraft in colonial Massachusetts between 1692 and 1693, resulting in the execution of 20 individuals and reflecting the social tensions and religious fervor of the time.

Restoration Colony

A colony established during the Restoration period in England, typically given to loyalists of the crown; examples include New Jersey and South Carolina.

Royal Colony

A type of colony in which a colony is directly governed by the crown through a governor appointed by the king, often with a council and an assembly.

Proprietary Colonies

A type of colony owned by an individual or group who received the right to govern from the crown. Proprietors had significant control over the land and its settlers, and they could establish their own systems of government.

“Inner Light”

A Quaker concept referring to the inherent sense of God's presence within each individual. It emphasizes personal spiritual experience and the belief that every person can access divine guidance.

Society of Friends/Quakers

A religious group known for their pacifism, commitment to equality, and belief in the "Inner Light." They played a significant role in the early American colonies, promoting social justice and religious freedom.

Roger Williams

A theologian and founder of Rhode Island who advocated for the separation of church and state. He was a strong proponent of religious tolerance and the rights of Native Americans.

Anne Hutchinson

A Puritan spiritual leader known for her role in the Antinomian Controversy in Massachusetts. She challenged the established religious authorities and advocated for a personal relationship with God, leading to her expulsion from the colony.

Thomas Hooker

A prominent Puritan minister and founder of Connecticut who advocated for democratic governance and believed in the need for a government based on the consent of the governed.

William Penn

A Quaker leader and founder of Pennsylvania, known for promoting religious freedom and peaceful coexistence with Native Americans. He established the colony as a refuge for persecuted religious groups.

Cornelius Calvert

The founder of the Maryland colony, known for promoting religious tolerance and establishing a safe haven for Catholics in the New World.

Maryland Toleration Act

A law passed in 1649 that granted religious freedom to all Christians in the Maryland colony, protecting Catholics from persecution and establishing a precedent for religious liberty in America.

James Oglethorpe

A British general and the founder of Georgia, he established the colony as a buffer against Spanish Florida and a place for debtors and the poor.

Navigation Acts

Laws passed by the British Parliament in the 17th century to regulate colonial trade and ensure that revenue flowed to England.

Salutary Neglect

A British policy allowing the American colonies considerable self-rule as long as Great Britain received economic loyalty.

Mercantilism

An economic theory that promotes governmental regulation of a nation's economy for augmenting state power. It emphasizes the importance of accumulating wealth through trade and maintaining a favorable balance of trade.

Bullionism

The belief that a nation's wealth is best measured by its gold and silver reserves, advocating for the accumulation of precious metals through a positive balance of trade.

Jonathan Edwards

A prominent preacher in the First Great Awakening, known for his fire-and-brimstone sermons and emphasis on personal religious experience, particularly his famous sermon "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God."

George Whitefield

An influential preacher during the First Great Awakening, recognized for his charismatic sermons and role in spreading evangelical religion across the American colonies.

Great Awakening

A series of religious revivals in the American colonies during the 18th century, characterized by increased emotional expression and a focus on personal faith.

Benjamin Franklin

A Founding Father, inventor, and diplomat, known for his contributions to electricity, the postal system, and the American Enlightenment. He also played a key role in drafting the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.

Deism

A philosophical belief that recognizes a creator based on reason and observation of the natural world, emphasizing moral conduct rather than organized religion.

Zenger Trial

A landmark case in 1735 in which John Peter Zenger was tried for libel, establishing the precedent for freedom of the press in colonial America.

Enlightenment

A European intellectual movement that emphasized reason, science, and individualism over tradition; it influenced many aspects of American political thought. It promoted ideas such as liberty, democracy, and the separation of church and state.

Middle Colonies

The Middle Colonies included New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware, known for their diverse populations, religious tolerance, and thriving agricultural economy.

New England Colonies

The New England Colonies consisted of Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire, characterized by their Puritan foundations, small-scale farming, and a focus on trade and fishing.

Southern Colonies

The Southern Colonies included Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia, known for their plantation systems, reliance on slave labor, and agricultural production of cash crops such as tobacco and rice.

Costal Plain/Tidewater

A geographic region in the Southern Colonies featuring low, flat lands near the coast that are ideal for agriculture and plantation farming, particularly for cash crops. (Specifically Virginia) The Tidewater region is characterized by its rich soil, rivers, and a warm climate that supports the cultivation of crops like tobacco.

Piedmont

A region in the Southern Colonies located between the Coastal Plain and the Appalachian Mountains, known for its hilly terrain and mixed agriculture, including both farming and livestock raising. (Specificallyin Virginia and North Carolina) This area played a significant role in the settlement and development of the Southern Colonies.

Population Increase

A rise in the number of inhabitants in a specific area, often driven by factors such as immigration, natural growth, and economic opportunities. In the context of the Southern Colonies, this increase was significantly influenced by the growth of plantation agriculture and the influx of enslaved Africans.

Stono Rebellion

A slave uprising that occurred in September 1739 in South Carolina, where a group of enslaved Africans revolted against their oppressors, leading to significant violence and changes in colonial slave laws.