Key Terms and Events in Early American and European Exploration

Iroquois Confederacy

Union of five tribes COSOM: Cayuga, Oneida, Seneca, Onondaga, and Mohawk, stretched along the St. Lawrence River in present day New York and Canada.

Prince Henry of Portugal

Leaders in navigation.

Columbus

Grew up in Genoa, coastal town on west side of Italy; skilled at both sailing and navigation; studied geography and concluded that trading cities in Asia were 2400 miles west of Europe; The Far East (Japan and China) were 10,000 miles west of Europe.

King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella

Sponsored Columbus to go after second ask with the condition to spread Catholicism.

Ponce de Leon

First European to step foot in the U.S; established a settlement in Puerto Rico; came to Florida in 1513; died of wounds from an Indian attack in 1521.

Pedro Menendez

Founded St. Augustine; Catholic-only territory; led massacre in French Fort Caroline.

St. Augustine

Established in 1565; oldest permanent settlement; England's Sir Francis Drake burned St. Augustine in 1586; Spain remained in control until a brief British takeover from 1763-1783; Spain regained St. Augustine until it became a U.S. territory in 1821.

Santa Fe

Established in 1610, second oldest permanent settlement.

Historiography

How we interpret historical events and how it can change.

John Wycliffe

Translated Bible from Latin to English; called 'Morning Star' because he influenced Protestant Reformation.

Protestant Reformation

Pilgrims and Puritans focused on their belief in God & Church.

King Henry VIII

Started Protestant church after denied a divorce; wife birthing female skit.

Spanish Armada

King Philip gets mad over piracy of ships by England; war starts and he loses.

Jamestown and John Smith

Founded in 1907 by a joint stock company; John Smith helped the Jamestown settlement survive; 'He who shall not work; shall not eat'.

Pocahontas

Daughter of Powhatan; saved John Smith; Disney Movie.

Separatists/Pilgrims and Plymouth Colony

Pilgrims formed Plymouth colony; separated from the Catholic Church (called separatists).

Mayflower and Mayflower Compact

Sailed on the Mayflower in 1620; an agreement signed to establish a new colony.

Puritans and Massachusetts Bay Colony

Puritans arrived in groups; they founded the Massachusetts Bay Colony.

John Winthrop and 'City on a Hill'

Most famous leader of the Massachusetts Bay Colony; preached 'City on a hill', said they need to get closer to God.

Roger Williams

An ordained minister of the Anglican Church (Church of England); arrived in 1631; dangerous ideas include: the government has no law over first 4 commandments and the King doesn't have right to give land, resulting in banishment.

Anne Hutchinson

Banished from Massachusetts for challenging Puritan leaders; supported religious freedom.

Thomas Hooker

Founded Connecticut; helped write the Fundamental Orders (Early Constitution); Puritan preacher.

Fundamental Orders

First written constitution in America, 1639.

King Philip's Deadly War

1675-1678; Native Leader Metacom aka King Philip vs colonists.

Henry Hudson

An English sea explorer who discovered the Hudson River and Hudson Bay (Northeastern United States & Canada).

New Amsterdam

Dutch colony at mouth of Hudson River; later taken by English and renamed New York in 1644.

William Penn

Founded Pennsylvania; Quaker; believed in equality, religious tolerance, and good relations with Natives.

Triangular Trade

Trade system between America, Europe, Africa: Sugar, Rice, Indigo, Molasses; Europe manufactured goods: Guns, Metals, Textiles; West Africa: Enslaved People.

Middle Passage

Brutal voyage enslaved Africans endured across Atlantic to the Americas.

Describe the changing views of Columbus over the years

Shifted from celebrating him as a heroic explorer to criticizing him for his role in the conquest and brutal treatment of indigenous peoples. Now seen as a controversial figure associated with colonialism and exploitation.

Why did the Puritans consider themselves “a city on a
hill” and how did they impact American culture?

The Puritans called their community a "city on a hill" because they wanted to be a perfect example of a Christian society that other people would look up to. This idea helped create America's famous work ethic, and the belief that the country has a special role to play in the world.

Why did the colonies move away from indentured servants to enslaving people?

Colonies started to use enslaved people instead of indentured servants because servants became too expensive. Enslaved people were a free, permanent workforce for farming crops like tobacco.