Board Terms 1

Columbian Exchange

Period 1

1492

The widespread exchange of animals, plants, and diseases between the old and new world.

Introduced new technologies to the new world and killed a large portion of the native population. It also introduced new foods to the old world such as corn and tomatoes.

Christopher Columbus

Period 1

15th Century

Spanish explorer in the 15th century, he is known as the “discoverer” of the Americas.

Smallpox

Period 1

15th+16th Centuries

With the Columbian exchange came many diseases including smallpox.

Smallpox killed off a majority of the Native Population and led to Spain’s use of the Slave Trade as an alternative source of labor.

Treaty of Tordesillas

Period 1

1494

An agreement between Spain and Portugal that drew an imaginary vertical line through the Americas. Spain was allowed to settle all lands west of the line, and Portugal was allowed to settle all lands east.

Encomienda System

Period 1

16th-18th Century

This economic system created social classes depending on race. Peninsulares, Creoles, Mestizoz, Natives, and Slaves where the social classes.

This system led to the revolts of the Creole and Mestizo classes to start many Latin American revolutions.

Conquistadors

Period 1

16th Century

Conquistadors were Spanish explorers and soldiers who conquered native lands to claim it for Spain.

Led to the Fall of the Aztec Empire by Francisco Pizarro.

Mestizos

Period 1

16th-18th Century

The ‘middle’ class in the Spanish Encomienda system. It was consisted of people born to one Spanish parent and one native/african parent.

After gene flow mestizos made up the largest class in the encomienda system.

Roanoke Island

Period 1

1585

Known as “The Lost Colony” this was England’s first attempt to settle in the Americas; however, it was cut short by poor supply planning and hostile relations with the Native Americans.

The failure showed problems that future colonies (such as Jamestown) would need to address in order to succeed.

Joint-Stock Company

Period 2

1607

Joint-Stock Companies such as the Virginia Company were massive trade empires that gained Charters to create new trade outposts in the New World.

The Virginia company was the charter that founded Jamestown in 1607.

Charter

Period 1

1606

A charter is a document that gives a company permission to settle lands in the Americas and claim that land for the country that writes the charter.

These charters led to the begging of many English colonies such as Jamestown.

Pope's Rebellion

Period 2

1680

Many Pueblo forces among the Rio Grande were led by leader Pope to kick the Spanish out of present-day New Mexico.

This was the first successful pushback that the Native Americans had on European settlers.

Head-Right System

Period 2

1618

The Head-Right system was implemented to encourage people to come to the new world by offering 50 acres of land per person in their household.

This led to the development of many large plantations, and increased the use of indentured servitude as a way for Household-Leaders to gain more land.

Tidewater and Piedmont

Period 2

1676

Tidewater was known as the land on the east coast where many plantation owners lived, and Piedmont was the land more westward where many x-indentured servants lived.

This divide led to Bacon’s rebellion.

Bacon's Rebellion

Period 2

1676

A group of indentured servants (both freed and current) protested against indentured servitude by burning down Jamestown. They were led by Nathanial Bacon.

For fear of revolts from indentured servants, the Virginia colony started using slavery as a greater part of their labor force.

Middle Passage

Periods 1, 2, 3, 4

1500s-1808

The Middle Passage was known as the leg of the Triangular trade in which Enslaved Africans were brought across to the new world. Approximately 1/8 to 1/4 of Enslaved peoples died on the voyage due to disease, abuse, and suicide.

This forced migration led to the development of much of the labor force in the English colonies (especially in the south) and led to the great amount of racial diversity that we see in the United States today.