History Vocab

Proprietary Colonies

Proprietary Colonies

Term for colonies in which the Crown had vested authority in the hands of certain famities (e.g, the Penn family in Pennsylvania)

Mercantilism

Concept in economics that held that colonies existed to serve the economic interests of the mother country.

Enlightenment

Name given an 18th-century European school of thought that stressed reason and human progress.

Seven Years War

Either of the two common names applied to the conflict between France and Britain

Peninsulares

People born in Spain or Portugal who resided in Latin America during the colonial period.

Audiencias

Spanish term for courts that had judicial and legislative authority over Spanish colonies

Corregidores

Spanish term for officials responsible for controlling Amerindian communities.

Mita

Term for "tribute labor," associated with forceful recruitment of Amerindians to work in Peruvian mines

Bullion

Uncoined gold and silver

Declaration of the Rights of Men

Document adopted by the French National Constituent Assembly in August 1789 that defined individual and collective universal rights of men.

Portugal

European country that held colonial control over what is now Brazil.

Olive Branch

This document, adopted by the 2nd Continental Congress in July 1775, protested attachment to George Ill and begged him to prevent further hostile measures against the colonies

Common Sense

This pamphlet, written by Thomas Paine and published in January 1776, expressed the developing mood of American patriots.

Hessians

These were German mercenary soldiers who were hired to fight for the British in the American War for Independence.

Privateers

This is a term for privately owned ships granted permission by a government to capture enemy ships.

Martial Law

This is the temporary suspension of ordinary administration and policing in favor of the exercise of military power

Howe

The is the surname of two brothers

Fabian Strategy

A military strategy of avoidance and attrition, used by General Washington during the Revolutionary War.

John Paul Jones

An American naval commander during the Revolutionary War known for his daring raids against British vessels.

Charleston (captured by British in South Carolina)

The location of a significant British victory in 1780 during the American Revolutionary War.

Yorktown (American French forces won, surrender of General Cornwallis)

The final major battle of the American Revolutionary War, leading to British defeat in 1781.

Treaty of Paris

The 1783 agreement that officially ended the American Revolutionary War and recognized American independence.

Juntas

Political committees that emerged in Spain and its colonies during the Peninsular War, often governing in the absence of traditional authorities.

Cortes

The representative assemblies in Spain and its colonies, which had legislative powers.

Grito de Dolores

The cry for independence made by Miguel Hidalgo in 1810, marking the start of the Mexican War of Independence.

José Mario Morenos

Noted figures or leaders in Hispanic independence movements, among several historical figures with similar names.

Ferdinand VII

King of Spain who reigned, with interruptions, during a tumultuous period of the Spanish monarchy in the early 19th century.

Gran Colombia

A short-lived republic that included parts of modern-day Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, and Panama from 1821 to 1831.

Absolutists

Supporters of absolute monarchy where a single ruler holds supreme authority.

Prince Regent

A title given to a person who acts on behalf of a king who is unable to fulfill his duties.

Era of Good Feeling

A period in the United States (1817-1825) characterized by a sense of national unity and purpose following the War of 1812.

Seminole Indians

A Native American people originally from Florida, known for their resistance to removal policies.

Louisiana Purchase

The acquisition of the Louisiana territory by the United States from France in 1803, doubling the size of the U.S.

Great Powers

The most powerful countries in the international system, often referring to influential nations like the U.S., Britain, France, Germany, Russia, and China.

Monroe Doctrine

A U.S. policy established in 1823 that opposed European colonialism in the Americas.

Vertical Integration

A business model where a company controls multiple stages of production, from raw materials to final product.

Annexation

The process of incorporating a territory into a larger political entity, such as a state or nation.

Gold Standard

A monetary system where currency value is directly linked to gold.

Protectorate

A state that is controlled and protected by another, often seen in colonial contexts.

José Martí

A Cuban national hero and key figure in the fight for Cuban independence from Spain.

Yellow Press

Newspapers that sensationalized news stories, often influencing public opinion during the Spanish-American War.

Philippines (Spanish American War)

An archipelago that became a focal point of conflict and imperial interests during the Spanish-American War.

Roosevelt (Rough Riders)

The American cavalry led by Theodore Roosevelt during the Spanish-American War, known for its charge at San Juan Hill.

American Anti Imperialist League

An organization formed in 1898 to oppose American annexation of the Philippines and imperialist policies.