wap vocab 6*

Columbian Exchange

The widespread transfer of plants, animals, culture, human populations, technology, and ideas between the Americas and the Old World following Christopher Columbus's voyages in the late 15th century.

Cash Crops

Agricultural crops grown for sale and profit rather than for personal consumption; significant in colonial economies, especially in the Americas (e.g., tobacco, sugar).

Coerced Labor

Systems of labor that involve force or threats, including slavery and indentured servitude, used extensively in colonial economies.

Encomienda

A Spanish colonial system that granted settlers the right to extract labor from indigenous people under the guise of providing protection and Christianization.

Mit'a System

Incan labor system revived by the Spanish; required indigenous people to work on public projects, such as mining, under harsh conditions.

Haciendas

Large estates or plantations in Spanish America that produced agricultural goods, often relying on forced labor from indigenous peoples.

Missions

Religious communities established by Spanish colonizers to convert indigenous peoples to Christianity and educate them in European ways.

Plantations

Large-scale farms that specialize in the production of specific crops (like sugar) and rely heavily on slave labor, prevalent in the Caribbean and southern United States.

Treaty of Tordesillas

A 1494 agreement between Spain and Portugal, divided newly discovered lands outside Europe, giving Spain rights to most of the Americas and Portugal rights to Brazil and parts of Africa and Asia.

Viceroy

A royal governor in Spanish colonies, who acted as the king's representative, overseeing administration, justice, and military matters.

Iberian Peninsula

The European region comprising Spain and Portugal, from which many explorers and colonizers originated during the Age of Exploration.

Castas de Sociedad

The complex social hierarchy in colonial Latin America based on race and ethnicity, involving categories such as peninsulares, creoles, mestizos, and mulattoes.

Peninsulares

Individuals born in Spain who migrated to the Spanish colonies in the Americas; held the highest social and political positions.

Creoles

People of Spanish descent born in the Americas; often resented their lack of political power compared to peninsulares despite their social status.

Mestizos

Individuals of mixed European and indigenous ancestry; formed a significant part of the colonial society.

Mulattoes

Individuals of mixed European and African ancestry, often part of the castas system and occupying a lower social status.

Amerindians

Indigenous peoples of the Americas, significantly affected by European colonization, including disease, displacement, and cultural changes.

Seven Years' War

A global conflict (1756-1763) that involved most of the great powers of the time; in the Americas, it was fought between Britain and France, leading to British dominance and greater colonial taxation.

Bartolomeo de las Casas

A 16th-century Spanish missionary and historian who advocated for the rights of indigenous people and criticized the Spanish colonial system of exploitation.

Potosí

A city in present-day Bolivia known for its rich silver mines; it became one of the wealthiest cities in the world during the colonial era.

Silver

A precious metal that played a crucial role in global trade, particularly from the Americas, drastically impacting economic systems in Europe and Asia.

Latin America

The region in the Americas where Romance languages (derived from Latin, chiefly Spanish and Portuguese) are spoken, encompassing Mexico, Central America, South America, and parts of the Caribbean.

Mesoamerica

A historical region in southern Mexico and northern Central America known for its pre-Columbian civilizations, including the Aztec and Maya.

South America

The southern continent of the Americas, rich in cultural history and diversity, it was significantly shaped by the Spanish and Portuguese colonization.

North America

The northern continent of the Americas; had varied indigenous cultures before European colonization, particularly by the British, French, and Spanish.

Vodun

A syncretic religion that originated in West Africa and was brought to the Americas via the transatlantic slave trade, incorporating elements of Christianity and indigenous beliefs.

Cult of Our Lady of Guadalupe

A religious and cultural movement centered around the Virgin of Guadalupe, symbolizing Mexican identity and the convergence of indigenous and Spanish Catholic traditions.

Audiencias

Judicial boards in Spanish colonies that acted as court systems and advisory councils to the viceroy, helping to administer justice and governance.

Indigenous

Referring to the original inhabitants of a region, often with distinct cultures and languages, significantly impacted by colonial expansion and exploitation.

Afro-Eurasian

Pertaining to the interconnected landmass of Africa, Europe, and Asia, reflecting interactions, exchanges, and cultural syncretism across these regions.

Syncretic

Describing the blending of different religious or cultural traditions, particularly seen in colonial societies where indigenous, African, and European practices merged.

Maroon Societies

Communities formed by escaped enslaved people in the Americas, often situated in remote areas, preserving African culture and resisting colonial and enslaving powers.