Quiz 1 | American History

Mayas

central Mexican tribe with complex mathematics and astronomy, hierarchal government and developed, sprawling cities

Incas

South American empire with diverse, organized society evolved from rival tribes

Aztecs

central Mexican tribe with thriving commerce in precious metals and agriculture

pueblos

adobe cliff dwellings in southwestern North America

Vikings

seafaring Norse peoples that discovered the New World in 10th-11th centuries

(Christopher) Columbus

self-taught navigator who sought to discover the Indies by sailing across the Atlantic; first voyage in 1492

Amerigo Vespucci

landed on the coast of South America in 1499; "America"

Hernán Cortés

succeeded in conquering the wealthy, powerful Aztec empire by assembling rival tribes and decimating the population with smallpox

conquistadores

Cortés' soldier-adventurers assembled to conquer the Aztec empire

Tenochtitlán

located in present-day Mexico city, it was the Aztec capital city with towering stone temples and thriving markets

Francisco Pizarro

following Cortés' lead, conquered Inca empire

encomienda

socioeconomic system implemented by conquistadors, similar to the feudal system

Bartolomé de Las Casas

advocated for better treatment of indigenous peoples by denouncing forced conversion

Hernando de Soto

conquistador who traveled through Florida and the Southeast

Reformation

period when feuding protestants and catholics persecuted and killed each other

Martin Luther

posted 95 Theses, protesting the corruption of Catholic officials

Queen Elizabeth I of England

ruled to change the Church of England from Catholic to Anglican

Jacques Cartier

first French effort to colonize America, discovering Canada

Roanoke Island Colony

led by Raleigh, one of England's first failed attempts at colonizing America

Puritans

opposed Catholic elements of Anglican church, wanted to "purify" corrupt system, followed Calvin

magna carta

granted basic human rights, equal protection under the law

John Cabot

landed near Newfoundland in 1497

parliament

British legislative branch; levied taxes

entail and primogeniture

law dictated that estates were passed on to eldest son

enclosure movement

exiling poor tenants in favor of raising lucrative sheep (wool industry)

Virginia Company

joint-stock enterprise assigned an explicit religious mission but was lured by profits

joint-stock company

precursor of corporations; capitalistic ventures to the New World

Chief Powhatan

developed trade with English colonists and waged war when colonists trespassed on his territory

Pocahontas

"Lady Rebecca" who saved John Smith and embraced Christianity and English culture

Captain John Smith

implemented military discipline to save failing Jamestown colony

starving time

near failure of Jamestown colony (1609-1610)

Jamestown

Virginia colony settled by unprepared entrepreneurs in 1607; production and labor trade saved the colony from failure