Period 1 APUSH Vocab.

on test vocab

Algonquin

Early Encounters and Alliances:

• Jamestown and New England:

  The Algonquian-speaking peoples, including the Powhatan, Wampanoag, and others, were among the first Native American groups encountered by English colonists in the early 1600s at Jamestown and in New England. 

• Survival Assistance:

  The Algonquians provided crucial assistance to the struggling Jamestown and Plymouth colonies, teaching them how to grow crops like corn, beans, and squash, and sharing their knowledge of hunting and fishing techniques. 

• Trade:

  The Algonquians became involved in the fur trade with the French and English, trading furs for manufactured goods. 

• Shared Spirituality:

  Some initial interactions were based on a shared dedication to spirituality, with the first Bible printed in the New World being a translation into an Algonquian language. 

Growing Tensions and Conflicts:

• Land Disputes:

  As colonization expanded, tensions arose over land ownership and resources, leading to conflicts between the colonists and the Algonquians. 

• Disease and Warfare:

  European diseases decimated Algonquian populations, and wars erupted as colonists encroached on their territories. 

• King Philip's War:

  The Wampanoag, a prominent Algonquian group, fought against the colonists in King Philip's War (1675-1676), a major conflict in New England. 

• French and Indian War:

  The Algonquins, along with other Native American groups, fought alongside the French against the British during the French and Indian War (1754-1763). 

• Displacement and Reservations:

  As the British won the war, the Algonquins were displaced from their lands and forced onto reservations. 

Aztecs

A Mesoamerican civilization known for its intricate society, impressive architecture, and significant contributions to agriculture, astronomy, and mathematics, which thrived in present-day Mexico before the Spanish conquest. The Spanish Conquest:

The Spanish, led by Hernán Cortés, arrived in Mexico in 1519 and sought to conquer the Aztec Empire. 

• Alliances:

  Cortés strategically formed alliances with native Mexican groups who were enemies of the Aztecs, which significantly aided his conquest. 

• Fall of Tenochtitlan:

  The Spanish, along with their indigenous allies, laid siege to Tenochtitlan, the Aztec capital, which fell in 1521. 

• Factors in the Conquest:

  • Technological Superiority: The Spanish had superior weapons and armor compared to the Aztecs. 

  • Disease: The Spanish brought diseases like smallpox, to which the Aztecs had no immunity, which weakened their population and resistance. 

  • Aztec Empire's Fragility: The Aztec empire was not as unified as it seemed, with many conquered peoples harboring resentment towards Aztec rule, which made it easier for the Spanish to gain allies. 

Bartolome de las Casas

A Spanish Dominican friar and missionary who advocated for the rights of Native Americans and argued against their mistreatment during the colonization of the Americas. He is often referred to as the "Protector of the Indians" for his efforts to promote humane treatment and criticize the encomienda system.

chattel slavery

a form of slavery where individuals are treated as personal property, bought and sold as commodities. It was prevalent in the Americas, particularly for enslaved Africans.

Chinook

A Native American people from the Pacific Northwest known for their fishing, particularly salmon, and their unique wooden canoes and structures.

Christopher Columbus

An Italian explorer credited with discovering the Americas in 1492. His voyages, commissioned by Spain, played a crucial role in the European exploration and colonization of the New World. He is often depicted as a controversial figure due to his treatment of indigenous peoples and the consequences of his expeditions.

• Columbian Exchange

the widespread transfer of plants, animals, culture, human populations, technology, diseases, and ideas between the Americas and the Old World following Columbus's voyages. It significantly impacted the global ecosystem and economies. The Columbian Exchange was a transformative period that reshaped diets and agricultural practices across continents.

• Conquistadors

Spanish explorers and soldiers who sought to conquer the Americas, often through military force, and played a key role in the colonization of vast territories.

• encomienda

a system that allowed Spanish colonists to demand tribute and forced labor from indigenous inhabitants in exchange for protection and Christianization. This system was used during the Spanish colonization of the Americas, leading to significant exploitation and decline of indigenous populations. A labor system implemented by Spanish colonists in the Americas.

• Francisco Pizarro

a Spanish conquistador known for leading the expedition that conquered the Inca Empire in present-day Peru. He captured and executed the Inca ruler Atahualpa, significantly expanding Spanish territory and influence in South America.

• Henry Hudson

an English explorer known for his attempts to find a northwest passage to Asia. He is best known for exploring parts of present-day Canada and the northeastern United States, including the Hudson River.

Hernan Cortes

a Spanish conquistador who led the expedition that resulted in the fall of the Aztec Empire and the establishment of New Spain. He is recognized for his role in the Spanish colonization of Mexico and the significant wealth he brought to Spain through the conquest. He is also known for his alliances with indigenous groups against the Aztecs.

• Incas

the indigenous people of Peru who were conquered by Francisco Pizarro. The Inca Empire was the largest empire in pre-Columbian America, known for its advanced architecture and road systems. they established a highly organized society.

• Iroquois

a historically powerful group of Native American tribes in Northeast North America. They formed a confederation known as the Iroquois League, which played a significant role in the early history of the United States. The Iroquois Confederacy, also known as the Haudenosaunee, was a powerful alliance of six Native American nations (Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, Seneca, and Tuscarora) in what is now New York State, united by a common constitution and a focus on peaceful conflict resolution

• Jacques Cartier

a French explorer known for his voyages to Canada, where he claimed the land for France and explored the St. Lawrence River. He is credited with mapping parts of North America and establishing contact with Native American tribes.

• John Cabot

an Italian explorer who sailed under the English flag in the late 15th century. He is known for his 1497 voyage to North America, which is credited with the first European exploration of the mainland of North America since the Vikings.

• joint-stock companies

business entities that allowed multiple investors to pool resources for colonization ventures, sharing both risks and profits.

• Juan de Onate

a Spanish explorer and colonizer known for his expedition into the Southwest United States and establishing the first permanent European settlement in New Mexico.

• Juan de Sepulveda

a Spanish philosopher and historian who defended the conquest of the Americas and argued against the rights of Indigenous peoples during the colonization process. He is best known for his views that justified Spanish imperialism and the subjugation of Native Americans, often contrasting with Bartolomé de las Casas. He was a prominent advocate of the idea that Native Americans were inferior and needed to be civilized by European settlers.

• Juan Ponce de Leon

a Spanish explorer known for his quest for the Fountain of Youth and for being the first European to set foot in Florida.

maroons

descendants of enslaved Africans who escaped and formed independent communities in the Americas, often resistant to colonial rule. They played a significant role in the resistance against slavery and colonialism, establishing vibrant cultures and societies. These communities often included a mix of Indigenous peoples and free Blacks, and they fought for their rights and freedoms. These groups were instrumental in the development of new cultural identities in regions such as the Caribbean and Brazil, contributing to the rich tapestry of Afro-Latin American heritage. Examples include communities like the Maroons of Jamaica and the Quilombos of Brazil.

• Pueblo

a group of Native American peoples living in the Southwestern United States, known for their adobe dwellings and agricultural practices. They have a rich cultural heritage and maintain traditional ceremonies and lifestyles.

• Samuel de Champlain

a French explorer and cartographer known as the "father of New France". He founded Quebec City and played a key role in the early French colonization of North America.

• sextant

a navigational instrument used for measuring the angle between two visible objects, crucial for celestial navigation in maritime exploration. Developed in the 18th century, a sextant allows navigators to determine their latitude and longitude by taking measurements of celestial bodies, such as the sun and stars, helping to ensure safe maritime travel.

• Smallpox

a highly contagious viral disease characterized by fever and a distinctive skin rash. Smallpox was responsible for significant mortality until its eradication in 1980 through a successful vaccination campaign.

• Spanish Mission

a religious outpost established by Spanish colonizers in the Americas, aimed at converting Indigenous peoples to Christianity and supporting colonization efforts.

• Treaty of Tordesillas

An agreement between Spain and Portugal in 1494 that divided the newly discovered lands outside Europe between them. This treaty aimed to resolve conflicts over newly explored territories and established a meridian line. The treaty established a boundary line, granting Spain rights to lands west of the line and Portugal rights to lands east of it.

• Vodun

a syncretic religion derived from African traditions, particularly practiced in Haiti and parts of the Caribbean. It combines elements of African spiritual beliefs with Catholicism and focuses on ancestor worship and the veneration of spirits known as Loa.

• Walter Raleigh

an English explorer and soldier known for popularizing tobacco in England and his attempts to establish a colony in Virginia. He is also remembered for his role in the Roanoke Island settlement.

Zambo

a term used in colonial Latin America to describe people of mixed African and Indigenous ancestry. Zambos were often part of a complex caste system that categorized individuals based on their racial heritage. They faced social and legal discrimination, reflecting the societal hierarchies of the time.

Middle Passage

Conditions aboard slave ships were horrendous. Slaves were kept chained in the steerage, and it is estimated that millions of African Americans died during the voyage. The most brutal part of the voyage came to be known as the Middle Passage (the voyage across the Atlantic Ocean). Here is a first-hand description of the conditions inside the slave ships:  

 The closeness of the place, and the heat of the climate, added to the number in the ship, which was so crowded that each had scarcely room to turn himself, almost suffocating us. This produced copious perspirations, so that the air soon became unfit for respiration, from a variety of loathsome smells, and brought on a sickness among the slaves, of which many died, thus falling victims to the improvident avarice, as I may call it, of their purchasers. This wretched situation was again aggravated by the galling of the chains, now become insupportable; and the filth of the necessary tubs [large buckets for human waste], into which the children often fell, and were almost suffocated. The shrieks of the women, and the groans of the dying, rendered the whole scene of horror almost inconceivable.

indentured servants

laborers bound by contract to work for a specified period in exchange for passage to America and basic needs.

Asiento System

The Asiento System was a key trade arrangement established by Spain in the 18th century, allowing foreign merchants to supply enslaved Africans to Spanish colonies in the Americas. This system played a significant role in the transatlantic slave trade and highlighted the complexities of labor, slavery, and caste within the Spanish colonial framework. Through the Asiento, Spain sought to meet its labor demands while relying on foreign entities, which shaped the dynamics of power and commerce in colonial society.

Triangular Trade

Triangular Trade refers to the transatlantic system of trade that operated between Europe, Africa, and the Americas from the 16th to the 19th centuries. It involved the exchange of goods, enslaved people, and raw materials among these three regions, creating a cycle that significantly impacted economies and societies on both sides of the Atlantic. This system was crucial for the development of colonial economies and laid the groundwork for the institution of slavery in the Americas.

This system connected Europe, Africa, and the Americas, trading goods, enslaved people, and raw materials.