Colonial Period: Indians, Slavery, and Settlement

These flashcards cover key terms and concepts from the lecture about the colonial period, focusing on the interactions between Native Americans, English colonists, and the evolution of slavery in America.

Middle Colonies

Regions in America, including New York, New Jersey, Delaware, and Pennsylvania, originally taken from the Dutch.

New Amsterdam

The capital of New Netherland, later became New York City after the English took control in 1664.

Quakers

Members of a religious group founded by George Fox, known for their pacifism and opposition to all political and religious authority.

Bacon's Rebellion

A rebellion led by Nathaniel Bacon in 1676 against the Virginia governor due to frustrations over land, political power, and protection from Native Americans.

Indentured Servitude

An arrangement where individuals worked for a colonist for a fixed term, usually 4 to 7 years, in exchange for passage to America.

King Philip's War

A conflict between Native Americans and English colonists in 1675, marked by brutal violence and significant casualties on both sides.

Pequot War

A conflict that began in 1636 between the Pequot tribe and English settlers, resulting in significant bloodshed and the dissolution of the Pequot Nation.

Transatlantic Slave Trade

The forced transportation of African people to the Americas, with many dying during the Middle Passage.

African American Culture

The unique cultural identity formed by Africans in America, combining African traditions with new experiences in North America.

Plantation Society

A social and economic structure in which plantations relied heavily on enslaved labor for crops like tobacco, rice, and indigo.

Chesapeake Region

An area defined by the growing reliance on enslaved labor as a key part of its economy during the colonial period.

Social Hierarchy

A system of ranking in society, greatly influenced in the South by wealth accumulation through slavery and plantation ownership.

Racial Hierarchy

The system of stratification that emerged in colonial America, categorizing people based on race and limiting rights and freedoms.

Deerskin Trade

A lucrative trade system involving the export of deerskin facilitated by relationships between colonists and Native American tribes.

Frontier Settlers

Colonists who lived on the edge of civilization, often in conflict with Native Americans over land and resources.

American Population Growth

The rapid increase in the colonial population due to higher birth rates and the influx of immigrants, especially through indentured servitude.

Slave Codes

Laws established in the colonies that defined the status of enslaved people and the rights of their masters, increasingly restricting enslaved people's rights.

Atlantic Freelts

The first generation of African slaves in America who had more rights and opportunities than those enslaved in later generations.

Tobacco

A major cash crop in the colonies that required extensive labor and greatly influenced the economy of colonies like Virginia.

Religious Freedom

One of the key motivations for many European settlers to migrate to the Americas, seeking the ability to practice their faith without persecution.

Native American Displacement

The forced removal or killing of Native Americans as European settlers expanded their territories.