Indigenous Peoples and European Colonization (Origins to 1608)

These flashcards cover the early history of North America, including Indigenous migration theories, the distinct lifestyles of the Inuit, Algonquian, and Iroquoian peoples, their spiritual beliefs, and the initial European exploration attempts by the French.

Archeology

The primary method researchers use to study early Indigenous culture and hypothesize North American settlement due to the lack of written documents.

Beringia

The land bridge that emerged between Asia and present-day Alaska approximately $32,000$ years ago when water levels dropped during an ice age.

Bering Land Bridge Theory

The theory that nomadic hunters followed their prey from Asia to North America across a revealed ocean floor during a period of glaciation.

Inuktitut/Inuit

The language family that occupied the harsh, northern climates of Quebec; they were nomadic hunters of sea mammals and large game.

Patriarchal society

A social structure common to the Inuit and Algonquian where men were the head of the household and determined the family line.

Igloo

An Inuit winter dwelling made of snow blocks assembled in a spiral to form a stable dome, often featuring a tunnel entrance for insulation.

Umiaks

Large Inuit boats made of wood and covered in sealskin, designed to transport several people at once.

Algonquian

A nomadic language family living in the northern coniferous forests whose way of life focused on hunting, fishing, and living in wigwams.

Wigwam

A nomadic dwelling consisting of a wood pole framework covered in birch bark, animal skins, or reed mats that could be taken down and moved easily.

Canoe

A summer mode of transportation made of a wood frame covered in bark, often birch, with seams caulked with resin for waterproofing.

Iroquoian

A sedentary language family that lived in fertile areas, practiced agriculture, and established villages in present-day Quebec.

The Three Sisters

The three main crops grown by the Iroquoians: corn, squash, and beans.

Matriarchal society

A social structure used by the Iroquoians where women were the head of the household and played a dominant role in social organization.

Longhouse

A permanent Iroquoian dwelling made of a wood structure covered in bark, housing between $25$ and $60$ people.

Palisade

A protective fence-like structure made of wooden stakes planted in the ground to surround Iroquoian villages against enemy attacks.

Slash-and-burn

A land-clearing technique where tree trunks were lit on fire to knock them down, allowing for agricultural cultivation.

Animism

The belief that all elements in nature—whether living or non-living, animate or inanimate—possess a spirit.

Shaman

An individual believed to possess powers to communicate with the spirit world, interpret dreams, and perform healing rituals.

Reciprocity

The practice of exchanging things with others for mutual benefit; it was the cultural basis for the gift and counter-gift system.

Barter

A system of trade where goods or services are exchanged directly for other goods or services without using money.

Scurvy

A disease caused by Vitamin C deficiency that killed many of Jacques Cartier’s men while they wintered in Stadacona.

Donnacona

The Iroquoian chief of Stadacona who was kidnapped by Jacques Cartier and taken to France, where he eventually died in $1539$.

Stadacona

The Iroquoian village located at present-day Quebec City where Jacques Cartier and his crew wintered during his second voyage.

Hochelaga

The Iroquoian village reached by Jacques Cartier in October $1535$, located at present-day Montreal.

Cap-Rouge

The location of a failed French settlement attempted by Jacques Cartier and Sieur de Roberval where colonists suffered from scurvy and faked mineral discoveries.