Chapter 2: Europeans Colonize North America (1600-1650)

A set of flashcards covering key vocabulary and concepts from Chapter 2 of the lecture notes on European colonization in North America between 1600 and 1650.

Joint-stock company

A business partnership that amasses capital through sales of stock to investors.

Jamestown

The first enduring English colony, established in 1607.

Powhatan

The powerful weroance (chief) of Tsenacommacah who initially negotiated an alliance with the Jamestown settlers.

Primogeniture

The practice of inheritance by the firstborn child, typically the eldest son.

Protestant Reformation

A religious movement in the 16th century that resulted in the fragmentation of the Catholic Church's authority.

Puritan

English dissenters who wanted to purify the Church of England of its Catholic practices.

Separatist

Dissenters who wished to leave the Church of England entirely.

Calvinism

A Protestant theological system developed by John Calvin, emphasizing predestination and the sovereignty of God.

Enclosure

The process of consolidating small landholdings into larger farms, often leading to peasant displacement.

Opechancanough's Rebellion

The coordinated attacks initiated by Powhatan's brother against English colonists on March 22, 1622.

Tsenacommacah

The region inhabited by the Algonquin peoples and the site of the Jamestown settlement.

Tobacco Cultivation

The farming of tobacco, which became Virginia's key cash crop and significantly influenced its economy today.

Cultural Differences

The contrasting social structures and beliefs between English settlers and Native American populations.

Inflation

A general increase in prices and fall in the purchasing value of money, often resulting from increased demand.