APUSH Chapter 2 | American Society in the Making

Headright System

A land distribution method used in colonial Virginia, granting settlers land in exchange for paying their passage to America. It granted colonists willing to pay for their own passage and/or others to the New World 50 acres of land. This system encouraged immigration and increased the labor supply.

Quitrent

A form of rent paid to a landowner, typically imposed on tenants in colonial America, often in cash or produce.

Indectured servitude

A labor system where individuals worked for a fixed term, usually between four to seven years, in exchange for passage to America, room, and board. This system was a key part of the colonial labor force.

“percuiliar institution”

A term used to describe the system of slavery in the Southern United States, emphasizing its unique characteristics and social acceptance within that societal context.

covenant

A formal agreement or promise often found in religious communities or colonial governance, detailing the duties and obligations of its members.

town meeting

A local assembly in New England where community members gathered to discuss and vote on important issues, serving as a key form of direct democracy in colonial governance.

Half-Way Covenant

A religious solution proposed by New England Puritans in the 17th century that allowed the children of baptized but unconverted church members to be baptized and thus participate in the church community, aiming to retain more members.

Domination of New England

A short-lived administrative union of English colonies in New England established by the crown in 1686 to tighten control and centralize governance, which dissolved in 1689.

Edmund Andros

Governor of the Domination of New England, appointed by King James II to enforce the crown's authority and implement strict regulations over the colonies.

Bacon’s Rebellion

An uprising led by Nathaniel Bacon in 1676 against Governor William Berkeley's administration in Virginia, protesting against corrupt governance and the lack of protection from Native American attacks.

William Berkeley

Governor of Virginia during Bacon's Rebellion, known for his policies favoring the interests of the colony's elite while neglecting the needs of poorer settlers.

Middle passage

The brutal sea journey that enslaved Africans were forced to endure while being transported to the Americas, characterized by overcrowding, disease, and high mortality rates.

Stono rebellion

A 1739 slave rebellion in South Carolina where enslaved Africans rose against their masters, seeking freedom and a better life, ultimately leading to violent clashes.

Boston Latin School / Harvard

The first public school in America, founded in 1635, and the oldest institution of higher education in the United States, established in 1636, both emphasizing education and scholarship.

Scotch-Irish

A group of immigrants from Northern Ireland who settled primarily in the American backcountry in the 18th century, known for their farming skills and resistance to British authority.

James Oglethrope

A British general and the founder of the colony of Georgia in the early 18th century, known for his philanthropic efforts and defense against Spanish Florida.

Cotton Mather

A New England Puritan minister, prolific author, and pamphleteer who was a key figure in the Christian revival and the Salem witch trials.

Glorious Revolution: William and Mary

ascended to the English throne in 1689 after overthrowing King James II, marking a shift towards constitutional monarchy and greater parliamentary power.

Salem Village

a small Puritan settlement in Massachusetts notorious for the witch trials of 1692, where a series of hearings and prosecutions of alleged witches took place.

Leisler’s Rebellion

was an uprising in 1689-1691 in which Jacob Leisler seized control of the colonial government of New York, reflecting the tensions between the English Crown and colonial governance.

Paxton Boys Uprising

was a conflict in 1763 wherein a group of Scots-Irish frontiersmen from Pennsylvania rebelled against colonial authorities due to grievances over perceived neglect and protection from Native American attacks.

John Peter Zenger

was a German-American printer and journalist whose trial for libel in 1735 set a precedent for freedom of the press in the colonies.