New World Beginnings

Vocabulary flashcards to help review key terms and concepts from the New World Beginnings lecture.

Corn (maize)

A revolutionary crop developed around 5,000 B.C. in Mexico that allowed people to transition from hunter-gatherers to settled farmers.

Pueblo Indians

The first American corn growers, known for their adobe houses and complex irrigation systems.

Three Sisters farming

A method of planting corn, beans, and squash together, maximizing agricultural yield and crop diversity.

Iroquois Confederation

An alliance of five tribes in New York State, characterized by matrilineal social structure and cooperation in matters of common interest.

Conquistadores

Spanish conquerors known for their expeditions and conquests in the Americas, including notable figures like Cortés and Pizarro.

Treaty of Tordesillas

A 1494 agreement between Spain and Portugal dividing the New World into areas of control, sanctioned by the Pope.

Encomienda system

A labor system where Spanish landlords were granted rights to enslave Indigenous peoples in exchange for converting them to Christianity.

Mestizos

Mixed race descendants of Spanish and Indigenous ancestry that emerged from Spanish conquests.

Black Legend

The notion that Spanish colonizers brought only harm, such as violence and disease, while ignoring their contributions to civilization.