A New World of Many Cultures, 1491-1607

These flashcards cover key terms and concepts from the lecture notes on the diverse cultures and events in the Americas between 1491 and 1607.

Mayas

A highly developed civilization that built remarkable cities in the rain forests of the Yucatán Peninsula between A.D. 300 and 800.

Aztecs

A powerful empire in central Mexico, known for their capital Tenochtitlán, which had a population of about 200,000.

Incas

A vast empire based in Peru, known for extensive trade, organized societies, and agricultural advancements.

encomienda system

A labor system in Spanish colonies where the king granted land and natives to individual Spaniards for labor.

asiento system

A system that required Spanish settlers to pay a tax to the king on imported enslaved Africans.

Columbian Exchange

The transfer of plants, animals, and germs between the Americas and Europe following Columbus's voyages.

Treaty of Tordesillas

A 1494 agreement between Spain and Portugal that divided newly discovered lands between the two countries.

Protestant Reformation

A religious movement in the early 1500s in Northern Europe where Christians revolted against the authority of the pope.

Bartolomé de Las Casas

A Spanish priest who advocated for the better treatment of Native Americans and opposed the encomienda system.

Valladolid Debate

A formal debate in 1550-1551 in Valladolid, Spain, concerning the moral status of Native Americans.

land bridge

A submerged land connection between Siberia and Alaska believed to have been crossed by the first Americans.

Algonquian

One of the largest language families among American Indian languages, primarily found in the Northeast.

Siouan

A large language family of several American Indian languages primarily spoken on the Great Plains.

Iroquois Confederation

A political union of five independent tribes located in the Mohawk Valley of New York.

Christopher Columbus

An Italian explorer whose voyages in 1492 led to the first lasting contact between Europeans and the Americas.

Hernan Cortés

Spanish conquistador who led an expedition that caused the fall of the Aztec Empire.

Francisco Pizarro

Spanish conquistador known for conquering the Inca Empire in Peru.

slave trade

The practice of capturing and transporting enslaved people, particularly from Africa to the Americas.

compass

An instrument adapted from Arab merchants that aided navigation during the Age of Exploration.

printing press

An invention in the 1450s that helped spread knowledge and ideas across Europe.