Colonial America

Reasons for European colonization

To gain wealth and power, instill and practice religion, nationalism, escape poverty, disease, and warfare.

Treaty of Tordesillas

An agreement between Spain and Portugal that divided newly discovered lands; lands east were Portugal's, and lands west were Spain's.

Spanish Armada

A powerful naval fleet sent by King Philip II of Spain to dethrone Queen Elizabeth and restore Catholicism in England.

Christopher Columbus

An explorer who completed four voyages under the Spanish flag, credited with the discovery of the Americas.

Spanish Conquistadores

Spanish leaders and explorers in the Americas who sought to conquer new territories and find wealth.

Royal colony vs. Proprietary colony

A royal colony is governed by officials appointed by the king; a proprietary colony is owned by individuals who have received land grants.

Joint-stock company

A business model where investors buy shares to fund colonial ventures and share in profits.

Virginia - the founding of

England's first royal colony established by John Smith; the main reason for its founding was economic.

House of Burgesses

The first elected legislative assembly in the New World, established in Virginia.

Indentured servants

Individuals who agreed to work for a certain number of years in exchange for passage to America and the promise of land.

Puritans/Puritanism

Members of a religious reform movement seeking to purify the Church of England; led to the establishment of Massachusetts.

Mayflower Compact

An agreement made by the Pilgrims aboard the Mayflower to create a self-governing colony.

Fundamental Orders of Connecticut

A document that established a framework for government in the Connecticut colony, considered by some as the first written constitution.

Mercantilism

An economic theory that emphasizes the importance of accumulating wealth through trade and maintaining a favorable balance of trade.

Triangular Trade

A system of transatlantic trade in which goods and enslaved people were exchanged between Europe, Africa, and the Americas.

Bacon's Rebellion

An uprising led by Nathaniel Bacon against Governor Berkeley's administration in Virginia, fueled by economic grievances.

Salutary neglect

An unofficial British policy of avoiding strict enforcement of parliamentary laws, allowing colonies more autonomy.

Glorious Revolution - effects on colonies

The political event that led to increased independence for the colonies and greater rights for colonists.

Great Awakening

A religious revival in the colonies that emphasized individual connections to God and challenged traditional authority.

Iroquois Confederacy

An alliance of Native American tribes in the northeastern woodlands, recognized for their political sophistication and military strength.

Social mobility in colonies

The ability for individuals to move between social classes, exemplified by figures like Ben Franklin.

Stono Rebellion

A significant slave uprising in South Carolina in 1739, sparked by the desire for freedom.

The Zenger case

A landmark legal case involving freedom of the press; established that truthful statements could not be considered libel.

John Winthrop/city upon a hill

A Puritan leader who expressed the idea that the Massachusetts Bay Colony would be a model of Christian charity and political integrity.

New & Old Lights

Terms used to describe the competing factions within the religious landscape during the Great Awakening, with New Lights favoring new religious experiences.

Anne Hutchinson/antinomianism

A Puritan religious leader who challenged gender roles and was eventually banished from the Massachusetts Bay Colony.

John Calvin/predestination

Theologian whose ideas on predestination influenced Puritan beliefs about salvation and moral conduct.