European Conquest, Colonial America, and Revolutionary War Key Concepts

Christopher Columbus

An Italian explorer who completed four voyages across the Atlantic Ocean, opening the way for the widespread European exploration and colonization of the Americas.

encomienda system

A labor system that rewarded Spanish colonists with the labor of particular groups of indigenous people.

Bartolomé de Las Casas

A 16th-century Spanish Dominican friar and missionary who advocated for the rights of indigenous peoples.

Moctezuma

The ninth ruler of the Aztec Empire, known for his encounter with Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés.

Tenochtitlán

The capital city of the Aztec Empire, located on an island in Lake Texcoco.

Aztecs

A Mesoamerican culture that flourished in central Mexico from the 14th to the 16th centuries.

Inca

The largest empire in pre-Columbian America, known for its advanced civilization and extensive road system.

Columbian Exchange

The widespread transfer of plants, animals, culture, human populations, technology, and ideas between the Americas and the Old World.

Jamestown

The first permanent English settlement in North America, established in 1607.

Powhatan Confederacy

A group of Native American tribes that lived in the Virginia area at the time of the English settlement of Jamestown.

tobacco

A cash crop that became a major export of the Virginia colony, significantly impacting its economy.

Black Legend

A term used to describe the anti-Spanish propaganda that exaggerated the brutality of Spanish colonization.

mercantilism

An economic theory that emphasizes the importance of accumulating wealth through trade and colonization.

indentured servants

Individuals who agreed to work for a certain number of years in exchange for passage to America and eventual freedom.

New England Colonies

The northernmost group of American colonies, known for their Puritan religious roots and economy based on trade and small-scale farming.

autonomy

The right or condition of self-government, often seen in the context of colonial governance.

itinerant preachers

Traveling ministers who spread religious messages and often played a role in the Great Awakening.

Chesapeake Bay

A large estuary located on the east coast of the United States, significant for its role in colonial trade and agriculture.

Carolinas and Georgia

Southern colonies known for their plantation economies and diverse populations.

puritans

A religious group that sought to purify the Church of England and settled in New England.

Roanoke

The site of the first English attempt at colonization in America, known for the mysterious disappearance of its settlers.

John Smith

An English soldier and explorer who played a crucial role in the establishment of Jamestown.

Middle Passage

The sea route used to transport enslaved Africans to the Americas, characterized by inhumane conditions.

Navigation Acts

A series of laws that restricted colonial trade to England and its colonies.

Bacon's Rebellion

A 1676 uprising in Virginia led by Nathaniel Bacon against the colonial government.

The Great Awakening

A series of religious revivals in the American colonies during the 18th century that emphasized personal faith.

Seven Years' War

A global conflict that lasted from 1756 to 1763, affecting colonial territories and leading to significant changes in British colonial policy.

Albany Plan of Union

A proposal by Benjamin Franklin in 1754 to create a unified government for the Thirteen Colonies.

Treaty of Paris 1763

The agreement that ended the Seven Years' War and ceded French territories in North America to Britain.

Proclamation of 1763

A declaration by the British Crown that prohibited colonial settlement west of the Appalachian Mountains.

Neolin

A Native American prophet who called for a pan-Indian resistance against European encroachment.

Pontiac's War

A conflict between Native Americans and British settlers following the Seven Years' War.

print culture

The spread of printed materials that contributed to the exchange of ideas and information in colonial America.

salutary neglect

An unofficial British policy of avoiding strict enforcement of parliamentary laws meant to keep the American colonies obedient.

John Locke

An English philosopher whose ideas on government and natural rights influenced the American Revolution.

King George III

The King of Great Britain during the American Revolution, known for his opposition to colonial independence.

Sugar Act

A law passed in 1764 that imposed taxes on sugar and molasses imported into the colonies.

Stamp Act

A 1765 law that required colonists to pay a tax on every piece of printed paper they used.

Committees of Correspondence

Groups formed in the colonies to facilitate communication and coordinate resistance against British policies.

Boston Massacre

A deadly confrontation in 1770 between British soldiers and colonial protesters.

Boston Tea Party

A 1773 protest against British taxation in which colonists dumped tea into Boston Harbor.

Olive Branch Petition

A final attempt by the colonists to avoid war with Britain by affirming loyalty to the Crown while seeking redress of grievances.

Coercive Acts

A series of punitive laws passed by the British Parliament in 1774 in response to the Boston Tea Party.

Continental Congress

A convention of delegates from the Thirteen Colonies that became the governing body during the American Revolution.

Lexington and Concord

The first military engagements of the American Revolutionary War.

George Washington

The commander of the Continental Army and the first President of the United States.

Common Sense

A pamphlet written by Thomas Paine that argued for American independence from Britain.

Intolerable Acts

A series of punitive measures taken by the British government in response to colonial resistance.

Declaration of Independence

The document adopted on July 4, 1776, declaring the colonies' independence from Britain.

Battle of Yorktown

The last major battle of the American Revolutionary War, leading to British surrender.

Articles of Confederation

The first constitution of the United States, which created a weak federal government.

loyalist

An American colonist who remained loyal to the British Crown during the American Revolutionary War.

homespun

Cloth made at home, often used as a symbol of American resistance against British goods.

unicameral

A legislative body with a single chamber.

bicameral

A legislative body with two chambers.

Shays' Rebellion

An armed uprising in 1786-1787 by farmers in Massachusetts protesting economic injustices.

Constitutional Convention

The 1787 meeting in Philadelphia where the Constitution was debated and drafted.

Great Compromise

An agreement during the Constitutional Convention that created a bicameral legislature.

Federalist Papers

A series of essays written to promote the ratification of the United States Constitution.

James Madison

The fourth President of the United States and a key architect of the Constitution.

Virginia Plan

A proposal for a bicameral legislative branch, favoring larger states in representation.

New Jersey Plan

A proposal for a unicameral legislature that favored smaller states in representation.

Bill of Rights

The first ten amendments to the United States Constitution, guaranteeing individual liberties.

Whiskey Rebellion

A 1794 uprising in Pennsylvania against the federal excise tax on whiskey.

Jay's Treaty

A 1794 agreement between the United States and Great Britain that resolved issues remaining since the Revolutionary War.

Federalist Party

The first American political party, which advocated for a strong national government.

XYZ Affair

A diplomatic incident between the United States and France that led to an undeclared war.

Alien and Sedition Acts

Laws passed in 1798 that allowed the government to deport foreigners and prosecute critics.

Election of 1800

The election that resulted in the first peaceful transfer of power between political parties in the United States.

Marbury v. Madison

A landmark Supreme Court case that established the principle of judicial review.