Studied by 6 people
Horticulture
Farming using simple tools, focusing on growing crops like corn and beans.
Aztecs
A powerful empire in central Mexico known for their capital, Tenochtitlán, and advanced society.
Tenochtitlán
The capital city of the Aztec Empire, located where Mexico City is today.
Maya
An ancient civilization in Central America known for its writing system, architecture, and calendar.
Incas
A large empire in South America, mainly in the Andes, known for their roads and terraced farming.
Pueblo
Native American people in the Southwest who lived in large, multi-story buildings made of adobe.
Renaissance
A period of renewed interest in art, science, and exploration in Europe during the 14th-17th centuries.
Missionaries
People sent by the church to spread Christianity, often in foreign lands.
Caravels
Small, fast ships used by Portuguese and Spanish explorers in the 15th-16th centuries.
Astrolabe
A tool used by sailors to navigate by the stars.
Inquisition
A church-led effort in Spain to enforce Catholic beliefs, often through harsh methods.
Columbian Exchange
The exchange of plants, animals, people, and diseases between the Old World (Europe, Africa, Asia) and the New World (Americas).
Conquistadors
Spanish soldiers and explorers who conquered large parts of the Americas.
Encomienda
A system where Spanish settlers were given control over Native American labor in exchange for protecting them and teaching them Christianity.
Requerimiento
A declaration by the Spanish monarchy giving them the right to take possession of territories in the New World and subjugate the native inhabitants.
Spanish Caste System
A social hierarchy based on race, with Spaniards at the top and Native Americans and Africans at the bottom.
Peninsulares
Spaniards born in Spain, held the highest status in Spanish colonial society.
Mestizos
People of mixed European and Native American ancestry in the Spanish colonial caste system.
Feudalism
A medieval European system where land was exchanged for military service and labor.
Capitalism
An economic system where businesses are privately owned, and goods are produced for profit.
Beringia
A land bridge between Siberia and Alaska that enabled the first migration of humans to the Americas over 13,000 years ago.
Agricultural Revolution
The transition from nomadic life to settled farming communities, leading to population growth and the development of more complex societies.
Mississippian Culture
Developed along the Mississippi River Valley; known for building large earthen mounds and cultivating maize.
Iroquois Confederacy
A political alliance of five tribes in the Northeast, known for their agricultural practices, including growing the “Three Sisters.”
Great Plains Tribes
Lived as nomadic hunters (e.g., Sioux) following buffalo herds, often living in tepees for mobility.
Northwest Tribes
Coastal tribes known for a rich diet of fish, nuts, and berries, and their use of totem poles for storytelling.
Christopher Columbus
His 1492 voyage, funded by Spain, led to European awareness of the Americas, although he believed he had reached Asia.
Treaty of Tordesillas
A 1494 agreement that divided the New World between Spain and Portugal.
Encomienda System
A forced labor system in which Native Americans were assigned to Spanish settlers in exchange for protection and religious education.
Asiento System
Allowed the Spanish to bring enslaved Africans to the Americas, with a tax paid to the king for each slave.
Columbian Exchange
Crops like potatoes, maize, and tobacco spread from the New World to the Old, while horses, cattle, and smallpox were brought to the Americas.
Pueblo Revolt
A 1680 uprising of the Pueblo people against Spanish colonizers in New Mexico, successfully driving them out for over a decade.
Valladolid Debate
A 1550-1551 debate over the treatment of Native Americans. Bartolomé de Las Casas argued for their rights, while Juan Ginés de Sepúlveda believed they were inferior.
St. Augustine, Florida
Founded in 1565, it was the first permanent European settlement in what is now the United States.
Cahokia
The largest settlement of the Mississippian culture, known for its large earthen mounds near present-day St. Louis.
Prince Henry the Navigator
Portuguese prince who sponsored early exploration along the African coast, laying the groundwork for Portugal’s colonial empire.
Old World to New World (Columbian Exchange)
Introduction of livestock like horses, cattle, and pigs, which transformed agriculture and transportation in the Americas.
New World to Old World (Columbian Exchange)
Introduction of crops like maize, potatoes, and tomatoes, which significantly boosted European populations.
Impact of Diseases in the Columbian Exchange
Diseases like smallpox and measles devastated Native American populations, with up to 90% dying from these new illnesses.
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Flashcard (20)