American History

New World

The Americas discovered by Europeans

Agricultural Revolution

Time when early Americans learned to grow crops

Mesoamerica

Region including modern-day Mexico and Central America

Mayans and Aztecs

Major civilizations of Mesoamerica

Early American economy

Based on agriculture

Herding

Raising animals for food and resources

Nomads

People who move and follow animals

Anasazi and Cahokia

Major Native American civilizations

Cherokee

Southeastern Native American tribe

Iroquois Confederacy

Government formed by northeastern tribes to unite together

Crusades

Exposed Europeans to Asian products

Faster and cheaper trade routes

Reason for exploration

Christopher Columbus

Sailed west across the Atlantic and reached the Caribbean

Columbian Exchange

Trade of goods between Old World and New World

Conquistadors

Spanish explorers who conquered Mesoamerica

Hernan Cortes

Spanish explorer who defeated the Aztecs

Encomienda System

System where Spaniards treated Native Americans like slaves

France in the New World

Claimed land in Canada

England and religion

Broke away from the Catholic Church

Mercantilism

A country's power comes from wealth

Joint Stock

People pool money to fund large projects

Jamestown

First permanent English settlement

John Smith

Leader who helped Jamestown survive

Jamestown crisis

Food shortages and death

House of Burgesses

First representative government in America

Headright System

50 acres of land for each person brought to America

Indentured Servants

Worked 4–7 years for passage to America

Proprietary Colony

Colony owned by an individual

Maryland

Proprietary colony founded by Lord Baltimore

Puritans

Wanted to reform the Anglican Church

Massachusetts Bay Colony

Puritan colony

John Winthrop

Leader of Massachusetts Bay Colony

City upon a Hill

Model society meant to inspire others

Pilgrims

Separatists who left the Anglican Church

Mayflower

Ship Pilgrims sailed on

Plymouth

Settlement formed by the Pilgrims

Squanto

Native who helped Pilgrims survive

Roger Williams

Banished from Massachusetts for religious beliefs

Rhode Island

Founded for religious freedom

Thomas Hooker

Founded Connecticut

Connecticut government

Allowed non-church members to vote

King Philip’s War

War between Native Americans and English settlers

Quakers

Peaceful religious group

William Penn

Founded Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania values

Religious freedom and equality

North Carolina

Poor harbors and small farmers

South Carolina

Good harbors and wealthy port cities

Georgia

Refuge for debtors from England

Southern social structure

Wealthy, small farmers, indentured servants and enslaved people

Bacon’s Rebellion

1676 uprising led by Nathaniel Bacon

Bacons Rebellion

Jamestown burned, rebellion failed

Triangular Trade

Trade between England, Africa, and the West Indies

What was shipped from England to Africa

Manufactured goods

Africa to Caribbean

Enslaved people

Caribbean to colonies

Sugar and molasses

Colonial tensions

Caused by slavery and immigration

Navigation Acts

Laws benefiting England’s economy

Navigation Acts

Colonies could only trade with England

Enlightenment

Movement emphasizing logic, science, and reason

John Locke

Enlightenment thinker

Natural

Rights people are born with

Consent of the governed

Government power comes from the people

Abolish government

People can overthrow unjust government

Montesquieu

Supported separation of powers

Checks and balances

Limits government power

Zenger Case

Established freedom of the press

Great Awakening

Religious revival in the colonies

Enlightenment and Great Awakening

Encouraged independence from England