Unit 1 Terms for Specificity

Algonquian

Out of twenty language families of the American Indians, one of the three largest was known as Algonquian from which many languages were made. Algonquian was predominately used in the northeast of North America, specifically the eastern woodlands, Great Lakes, and subarctic regions. This term is also used to refer to the people who speak the language who did not bind themselves to only one way of governing.

Anasazi

The Anasazi were a group which lived in the dry, southwestern North America, mainly what is now New Mexico and Arizona. Their housing consisted of caves, cliffs, and buildings. Wealth from maize cultivation helped their society with economic and farming growth, irrigation systems, which added more levels and complexity to their society such as classes.

Asiento System

The Spanish imported slaves from mostly Africa under the Asiento system which made the people from America pay taxes to the Spanish king for every person imported. This made the Spanish king become increasingly wealthy because of the high demand for slaves which made him add more taxes to plantation owners. This greatly increased slave trade and the wealth of the Spanish.

Aztecs

The Aztecs, who came centuries after the Mayans, were a highly developed native population from central Mexico. Their capital was Tenochtitlán which had a population of about 200,000 people. They were highly functioning with extensive trade, advanced scientific based calendars, organized societies, bureaucratic state, and stable crop supply such as maize. The Aztecs continued to dominate Mexico and Central America. They believed in ritual sacrifice to ensure the well-being of their society. Hernan Cortez conquered the Aztecs with his weapons and diseases, smallpox, which they could not fight.

Casta System

The Casta system was formed in Latin America by the upper-class Spanish people to put themselves at the top and give the people at the bottom taxes because of the increasing biracial population and complex racial groups. These groups were formed because of the Spaniards who had children with the natives and Africans rather than getting married. This system was legally supported. This system sorted people by their racial identity; the system started with pure-blooded Spaniards, then in the middle being Europeans, Native Americans, and Africans, and the lowest were the people of pure Indian or Black descent. The Casta system was also used to aid the encomienda system and assist the enslavement of native Americans.

Chattel Slavery

: In the 1660s chattel slavery arose which was owning people who were legally property and could be bought and sold as such. This was mainly in effect on African Americans and started in Virginia and Maryland by the legislators. This idea forced many English men to find nonexistent ways of justifying enslaving a human being by not seeing them as human. It was continually changed to fit the needs of the English. This significantly amplified slaves in America coming through the middle passage.

Chumash

The Chumash were a native tribe who lived in the central and southern regions of present-day California near the coast. They had a thriving economy with their trade with neighboring tribes, advanced technology, and food sources being hunters and gatherers. In their society both women and men could hold power, and power was inherited. They were known for their advanced trade. They were one of the first to intrigue the Spanish colonizers. The Chumash were thousands of years old making them one of the oldest native tribes.

Conquistadores

Conquistadores aided in progressing the Spanish’s dominance over America. They were explorers of the Americas and conquerors of the Natives. They also aided in growing Spain’s empire with wealth and power. Conquistadores were Spanish soldiers predominantly in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Among many other things, the Spanish conquistadors conquered the Aztecs, specifically a notable one, Hernan Cortes. Though, the most famous one would be Christopher Columbus. They were known to be cruel with their invasions, conquering, and slave labor expeditions. Through these expeditions, they gained gold, power, and knowledge from the new world to help Spain’s mission. Through this they had and gained many slaves wherever they went.

Hernan Cortes

Hernan Cortes was a significant Spanish conquistador, and one of the main ones who conquered the Aztecs in 1521. After infecting the natives with diseases, he brought which they had never been exposed to, they were helpless which entered a chance for him to become more powerful. That is when he took over the Aztecs for Spanish rule. He went on to conquer many more places such as Mayan city-states.

Iroquois Confederation

The Iroquois Confederation was a strong political union between the tribes from the Great Lakes and present-day New York—Seneca, Cayuga, Onondaga, Oneida, Mohawk, and later the Tuscarora—which was estimated to be formed around A.D. 1450. The Iroquois Confederation was also known as Haudenosauanee. This union helped fight other tribes and Europeans in the sixteenth century. The union was built on condolence rituals called Hiawatha. The tribes of this union had been fighting for a while before this confederation was made. The Iroquois Confederation became one of the most powerful groups in the Northeast.

Juan Gines de Sepulveda

Juan Gines de Sepulveda was a priest who argued in the Valladolid debate. He argued that Indians were not completely human, at least not as the Europeans and Spaniards were. This helped Spanish rule and the encomienda system. Neither side particularly won this debate, but the other priest, Bartolome de Las Casas was unable to obtain equal rights for the natives, but his arguments kept a fight for equality. Juan Gines de Sepulveda was not able to fully convince his view either. He held the view that Natives should be enslaved to the Spanish because they were not Christian; therefore, they were guilty.

Lakota Sioux

The Lakota Sioux was a confederacy of many native tribes who lived by the Missouri River. They were extremely powerful, being made up of seven tribal bands. They hunted buffalo and did a lot of trade on the river. The word Lakota means “allies,” and the word Sioux means “little snakes.” They were nomadic people who lived in tipis. Their government had thirteen divisions controlled by seven tribes. They were known for fighting off Europeans who wanted their land.

New Laws of 1542

The New Laws of 1542 were fought for by Bartolome de Las Casas, a Spanish priest who wanted to help the native, to help Native freedoms and rights. The king eventually instituted the New Laws of 1542 which ceased Indian slavery, forced labor, and started to bring an end to the encomienda system which was important because it kept Indians at the bottom class, serfs. Many Spaniards wanted to keep the encomienda system, so they pressed for a repeal, and the king did eventually repeal parts of New Laws of 1542.

Pueblos

(the indigenous people)

The Pueblos lived in present-day New Mexico and Arizona, and emerged around A.D. 600, being one of the older tribes in that area. They lived in caves, cliffs, and buildings; the spread of maize which resulted in the development of irrigation systems helped with economic growth. This new wealth allowed for new social classes and societal development which made them a complex society. The Pueblos eventually suffered a drought which made them weaker to the other tribe’s attacks which ultimately resulted in their downfall. The word “pueblo” means town in reference to their unique building style.

Roanoke Island

While the English were trying to gain control of American territory, they made many challenges against the Spanish. One of these was led by an English Adventurer Sir Walter Raleigh in 1587 who attempted to colonize Roanoke Island which is off the coast of North Carolina. Sir Walter Raleigh made three efforts to colonize North Carolina. His landing on Roanoke Island ended in the disappearance of 117 settlers of the island. Roanoke Island is known as the “lost island” because it was never taken by the English. His efforts severely diminished the supplies of Roanoke Island which led to them living majorly without food.

Treaty of Tordesillas

The Treaty of Tordesillas was created by the pope to settle their land arguments of power, wealth, and religion. It was made in 1494 between Spain and Portugal to move the pope’s line, the line of demarcation, a few degrees to the west which resulted in it passing through present-day Brazil. The pope’s line was splitting the two regions of the Americas, and the countries could take whatever land as long as it was on their side. This signified Portugal’s claim on Brazil along with explorations. From this Spain acquired the remaining of the Americas which was later contested by Europe.

Valladolid Debate

The Valladolid Debate was a debate argued by two priests, Bartolome de Las Casas and Juan Gines de Sepulveda, about the role of Indians in the Spanish colonies. This debate happened between 1550-1551 in Valladolid, Spain. Juan Gines de Sepulveda argued that the Indians were not completely human; he was in favor of the encomienda system. While Bartolome de Las Casas argued that the Indians were fully human and deserved to be treated as they would treat Europeans; he also argued against their enslavement and for them to have equal rights. Neither party fully won or lost the Valladolid Debate, but Las Casas created the fight for basic rights and justice for the Indians. The Indians did not obtain equal rights from this debate. Las Casas’ fight for justice influenced the beginning of justice for the Indians in the future.

Woodland Mound Builders

The Cherokee and Lumbee lived in Atlantic Seaboard settlements, mainly from present-day south New Jersey to Florida, and majorly descended from Woodland mound builders who were a group of cultures created in the Woodland Period. They were good at building timber and lodgings along rivers. The many water sources helped them gain a reliable food source. The Woodland mound builders were known for their burial mounds of important people. They had advanced skills such as trade, metalworking, and agriculture. Many of their mounds were centered around the Mississippi river, but eventually stopped building because of European diseases.