Early American History and Colonial Development

A comprehensive set of vocabulary flashcards focusing on key terms and concepts from Early American History and Colonial Development.

Columbian Exchange

Exchange of plants and animals between the New World and Europe following the discovery of America in 1492.

Bartolomeo de las Casas

16th Century Spanish Historian and Dominican Friar known as the 'Protector of the Indians', who opposed atrocities against Indigenous people.

House of Burgesses

The first U.S representative assembly established in 1619 in Jamestown, Virginia.

Bacon's Rebellion

Colonial uprising in 1676 led by Nathaniel Bacon in the Virginia colony against friendly policies towards Native Americans.

Toleration Act

Guaranteed religious toleration to trinitarian Christians but decreed death penalty for Jews, atheists and others who did not believe in the divinity of Jesus Christ.

Disestablishment

The separation of church and state where no religion is officially supported by the government.

New Amsterdam

Dutch colonial settlement that later became known as New York City.

Mercantilism

Economic philosophy of the 17th and 18th centuries focused on increasing wealth and power through acquisition of gold/silver and establishing a favorable balance of trade with colonies.

Navigation Acts

Acts passed to increase colonial dependence on Great Britain for trade, causing resentment in the American colonies.

Glorious Revolution (in America)

The elimination of the Dominion of England in 1689, reinstated legislative assemblies, and confirmed the political powers of the colonies.

Enlightenment

18th century philosophy stressing reason, influencing the development of modern democratic principles.

Natural Rights

The idea that everyone is born with certain rights, frequently cited in the context of foundation documents like the Declaration of Independence.

The First Great Awakening

A religious revival in the colonies during the 1730s and 1740s emphasizing personal faith and emotional engagement with religion.

Stono Rebellion

A significant slave uprising in South Carolina in 1739 that resulted in tightened slave laws.

Dred Scott decision

The 1857 Supreme Court ruling that black Americans were not citizens and that Congress could not ban slavery in the territories.

Manifest Destiny

The 19th century belief that the expansion of the US across the American continents was both justified and inevitable.

Compromise of 1850

Package of five bills aimed at resolving tensions over slavery, notably admitted California as a free state.

Civil Rights Act of 1964

Legislation that outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.

Great Society

A set of domestic programs in the US launched by President Lyndon B. Johnson aiming to eliminate poverty and racial injustice.