APUSH Unit 1 Flashcards

Made using Heimler's History and REA Crash Course

The natives most important crop was ___. What was its importance?

Gave the natives food, material, trading resources (maize)

What created native culture?

Location (life circumstances)

What were some big tribes in central and south America? What were their importance? What did they depend on?

The aztecs were super advanced (capital of tenochitilan) and used human sacrifices which caused wars.

The mayas lived on the yucatan peninsula and were REALLY smart and advanced.

The Incas had a “city of gold” in the Andes which was sustained by crops.

They all depended on maize cultivation.

AIM

What were some important tribes of the American Southwest? What were their characteristics?

The Pueblos were sedentary and advanced, growing crops to sustain themselves. They grew maize, beans, melons, and squash. Other tribes include the Hopi.

What were some tribes of the Great Plains and basin? What were their characteristics?

They were all NOMADIC and hunter gathereres because land wasn’t suitable for growing stuff. They travelled in small kinship bands.

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Some tribes included the Ute, Piute, Shoshone (BUPS), and OWOCABS: Omaha, Wichita, Osage, Cheyennem Arapaho, Blackfoot, Sioux.

What were some tribes of the pacific NW? What did they depend on? What were their characteristics?

They all had settlements and built advanced civilizations around fishing.

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Some tribes include the Chinook and Chumash.

WHAT WERE SOME TRIBES in the Miss. River Valley? What were their characteristics/what did they depend on?

The Hopewell and Cahokia

They were all settled and farmed because the Miss. River gave fertile soil which led to sustainability.

What were some tribes of NE America? What were their characteristics?

The Iroquois and Algonquian are examples. They both depended on maize cultivation and other crops.

What were reasons for European exploration of the Americas? Why’d they go by sea?

How did the SOCIAL CLIMATE contribute to this?

Population was rising quickly.

Europe was developing into unified countries with strong central governments which favored the upper class that wanted more luxury goods.

They went by sea because muslims and the Chinese already controlled the silk road and land trade routes of Asia.

Describe Portugals colonial rise - how did they rise up, and what innovations did they use?

They had a trading post empire in Africa, which they accomplished through Caravels (ships for only trading) and innovations such as the astrolabe.

Who conquered the Incas?

Francisco Pizarro

How did the Spanish conquer the Natives so quickly?

Metal weapons, gunpowder, horses, diseases.

What was traded in the Columbian Exchange?

Animals, food, minerals, diseases, and people

In the Columbian exchange, what went to the Americas? What went to Europe? What were the impacts?

To the americas:

rice, wheat, soybeans, rye, oats, lemons, oranges, grains, old macdonald’s farm, DISEASE, slaves.

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To Europe: Maize, potatoes, cacao, tomatoes, tobacco, gold, silver

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Africa was devastated by the intro of guns and loss of population

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Natives died from disease and lost land

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Europe benefited, transferred from feudalism to capitalism.

How did the Europeans change how slavery was done?

Slavery before: POWs with legal rights who could break out of slavery, slavery wasn’t inherited.

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Europeans kill dat.

Describe the encomienda system. What was its justification of brutality?

It was started by Columbus: parcels of land were given to encomenderos (the head guys) who then got permission to force natives into doing work (mineral extraction, fields, etc).

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The pope said he wanted to Catholize natives, and if they resist, then we have rights to kill them.

Why were the natives bad slaves?

They wouldn’t stop dying and escaping (guys cut that out)

Describe the Spanish caste system. What was its purpose?

It justified brutality and determined how many taxes you pay.

From top to bottom:

Peninsulares - born in Spain

Creoles - Spanish, but born in Americas

Mestizos - Spanish/Native

Mulattos - Spanish/African

Then natives, then africans

How to remember: peninsulares = on the iberian peninsula, creoles bc metsh is cool and she’s hatian.

How did Natives/Spanish differ in views on religion?

Natives thought that spirit was everywhere while Spanish were monotheistic

How did Native and Spanish beliefs differ with regards to land use?

Natives thought land had a spirit and thus should be communally owned. Spanish said f that lets go cap.

How did Natives/Spanish differ with regards to family?

Natives had community through extended family. Spanish preferred immediate family.

Explain the Pueblo revolt.

The Pueblos wanted to believe Christianity + what they already believed, but Spanish required to reject that stuff. Spanish then forced w brutality. That pisses off the pueblos.

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In 1610, the Pueblos killed 400 Spanish and burned down a bunch of Catholic churches, forcing the Spanish to retreat (the Spanish eventually reconquered them)

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The revolt was led by Pope (accent aigu on the e)

Describe the debate in Spain about whether actions in America were justifiable and who spearheaded either side.

Bartolome de las Casas led the good side: he was a priest who wanted to convert natives, but using brutality means that we kill potential converts + those who survive now hate Christianity (note that he did NOT believe the same for Africans).

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Juan Gines de Sepulveda argued that the god-given social hierarchy said the Spanish are cooler.