Unit 1 ID Quiz 1

Christopher Columbus

Italian explorer who "discovered" the Americas for the Spanish, who were looking for new trade routes that avoided Muslims. Kicked off the Columbian exchange.

Caravel

Small, fast, and highly maneuverable Portuguese sailing ship developed in the 1400s. Allowed Europeans to explore farther along the African coast and eventually across the Atlantic. Key technology of the Age of Exploration.

Pre-Columbian Era

The period in the Americas before Christopher Columbus's arrival in 1492. Characterized by diverse indigenous civilizations like the Aztecs, Maya, and Inca. Sets the stage for the dramatic changes brought by European contact and colonization.

Native Americans

Indigenous peoples living in the Americas before European arrival. Had diverse cultures and societies. Greatly impacted by European colonization during the Age of Exploration.

Land bridge

A natural strip of land connecting Asia and North America during the Ice Age. Allowed early humans to migrate into the Americas. Explains how the first Native Americans arrived long before European contact.

Bering Strait

Narrow waterway between Asia and North America that today separates Russia and Alaska. During the Ice Age, lower sea levels exposed a land bridge here, allowing human migration into the Americas. Key to understanding how the first Native Americans arrived.

Pueblo People

Indigenous Native American group in the Southwestern U.S. known for living in multi-story adobe and stone villages. Skilled farmers and artisans who developed complex societies before European contact. Important for understanding pre-Columbian cultures in North America.

Chinook People

Indigenous group from the Pacific Northwest known for fishing, trading, and building large plank houses. Played a key role in regional trade networks and had complex societies before European contact.

The Plains tribes

Native American groups living in the Great Plains, known for hunting buffalo and living in mobile teepees. Their lifestyle centered around buffalo and horse culture, which shaped their society before and after European contact.

Maize

Indigenous crop (corn) first domesticated in Mesoamerica. Became a staple food for many Native American societies. Key to supporting large populations and complex civilizations before European contact.

Columbian Exchange

The transfer of plants, animals, people, and diseases between the Americas and Europe after Columbus's voyages. Changed diets and economies globally and reshaped populations and environments.

Colonies

Territories controlled and settled by a foreign power. Provided resources and wealth to the mother country. Central to European expansion and empire-building during the Age of Exploration.

Conquistadors

Spanish explorers and soldiers who conquered much of the Americas in the 1500s. Brought wealth to Spain and helped colonize native empires like the Aztecs and Incas.

Encomienda

Spanish system granting colonists the right to demand labor and tribute from Native Americans. Used to control and exploit indigenous populations. Central to early Spanish colonial economy and social structure.

Mestizos

People of mixed European and Native American ancestry. Became a large social group in Spanish America. Represented cultural blending during colonial times.

Zambos

People of mixed African and Native American ancestry. Lived mostly in Spanish and Portuguese colonies. Reflected the complex racial and cultural mixing during colonial times.

Spanish Armada

A large fleet sent by Spain in 1588 to invade England. Its defeat marked a turning point, weakening Spanish naval power. Shifted the balance of power in Europe and opened the way for English expansion.

Smallpox

Deadly disease brought to the Americas by Europeans. Caused massive deaths among Native Americans. Devastated indigenous populations and helped European conquest.

Sextant

Navigational tool used to measure angles between celestial objects and the horizon. Improved sea navigation accuracy. Crucial for long ocean voyages during the Age of Exploration.

Joint-stock companies

Businesses where investors pool money to fund colonies or ventures and share profits. Helped finance expensive exploration and colonization. Key to expanding European overseas empires.

The Virginia Company

English joint-stock company that funded Jamestown to seek profit and expand England's overseas presence. Important in early colonization efforts.

Jamestown

First permanent English settlement in North America, founded in 1607. Struggled early but became profitable through tobacco farming. Key starting point for English colonization in the New World.

Juan de Sepulveda

Spanish philosopher who defended harsh treatment of Native Americans, calling them 'natural slaves.' His ideas justified Spanish colonialism and sparked debate over indigenous rights.

Bartolomé de Las Casas

Spanish priest who defended Native Americans and opposed their abuse. Called for peaceful conversion and better treatment. Influenced colonial debates on indigenous rights.

Spanish Mission System

Churches and settlements to convert Native Americans, spread Christianity, and expand Spanish control. Part of Spain's effort to colonize and spread Catholicism in the Americas.

Juan de Onate

Spanish explorer and colonizer who led expeditions into the American Southwest in the late 1500s. Founded New Mexico colony for Spain. Known for harsh treatment of Native Americans during colonization.

Voodoo

African-originated religion brought to the Americas by enslaved people, blending African beliefs with Christianity. Practiced mainly in the Caribbean and Louisiana. Shows cultural survival and adaptation amid slavery and colonization.

Maroon people

Enslaved Africans in the Americas who escaped slavery and formed independent communities. Resisted colonial control and preserved African traditions. Played a key role in challenging slavery during colonization.

Sir Walter Raleigh

English explorer and investor who helped establish English colonies in North America in the late 1500s. Sponsored expeditions to Roanoke Island. Promoted English expansion and colonization efforts.

The Lost Colony (Roanoke)

The English settlement at Roanoke Island founded in the 1580s that mysteriously disappeared with no clear explanation. Raised questions about early English colonization challenges. Highlighted the difficulties of settling the New World.

Captain John Smith

English leader of Jamestown colony who helped the settlement survive early hardships. Established trade with Native Americans. Played a key role in the success of England's first permanent colony.

Powhatan Confederacy

Alliance of Native American tribes in Virginia led by Chief Powhatan. Controlled the region around Jamestown and interacted with English settlers. Played a crucial role in early colonial-Native relations.

The "Starving Time"

Harsh winter of 1609-1610 in Jamestown when settlers faced extreme food shortages. Many colonists died from starvation and disease. Highlighted the struggles of early English colonization.

John Rolfe

English settler in Jamestown who introduced tobacco cultivation as a profitable cash crop. Married Pocahontas, helping ease tensions with Native Americans. Key to Jamestown's economic success and survival.

Pocahontas

Native American woman of the Powhatan Confederacy who helped establish peace between her people and English settlers. Married John Rolfe, symbolizing early cooperation. Played a role in Jamestown's survival and cultural exchange.

Tobacco

Cash crop introduced to English colonies by John Rolfe. Became Virginia's main export and source of wealth. Fueled the growth of plantation economy and increased demand for labor.

Chesapeake

Region around Virginia and Maryland where early English colonies were established.

Indentured servitude

Labor system where people worked for a set time in exchange for passage to America. Provided crucial workforce for early colonies. Helped expand settlement before slavery became widespread.

The headright system

Land grant program giving settlers acreage (usually 50 acres) for each person they brought to Virginia. Encouraged immigration and helped grow colonies. Supported expansion of tobacco plantations.

House of Burgesses

First representative assembly in English America, established in Virginia in 1619. Allowed colonists to make local laws. Early step toward self-government in the colonies.

Slavery

System where people were owned as property and forced to work without pay. Became central to labor in American colonies, especially on plantations. Shaped social and economic structures for centuries.

Edict of Nantes (1598)

1598 French law granting religious freedom to Protestants (Huguenots). Ended decades of religious wars in France. Influenced ideas of tolerance during the colonial era.

The Metis

People of mixed Indigenous and European (mainly French) ancestry in Canada. Developed a distinct culture blending both traditions. Played a key role in fur trade and colonial history.

Wars of extermination

Term used to describe brutal conflicts aimed at wiping out Native American groups, often by European colonists. Resulted in massive indigenous population loss. Highlighted the violent nature of colonization.

Calvinists

Followers of John Calvin's Protestant teachings emphasizing predestination and strict moral discipline. Influenced many colonial settlers, especially Puritans. Shaped religious and social life in early America.

Puritanism

Religious movement seeking to "purify" the Church of England by emphasizing strict morality and simple worship. Inspired many English settlers in New England. Influenced colonial culture and governance.

Separatists

English Protestants who broke from the Church of England in search of religious freedom. In 1620, they sailed on the Mayflower and founded Plymouth Colony, helping establish colonies centered on religious liberty.

The Mayflower

The ship that carried the Separatists, from England to the New World in 1620. It brought them to Plymouth, where they established one of the first successful English colonies in America.

Plymouth

The colony founded in 1620 by the Pilgrims (Separatists) in present-day Massachusetts. It became one of the first permanent English settlements in America and is known for the Mayflower Compact, an early example of self-government.

Pilgrims

English Separatists who sailed on the Mayflower in 1620 to escape religious persecution and establish Plymouth Colony. They're known for their role in early American history and the first Thanksgiving.

The Mayflower Compact

The first governing document of Plymouth Colony, signed in 1620 by the Pilgrims aboard the Mayflower. It established a self-governing framework based on majority rule, laying the groundwork for future American democracy.

Monarchists

Supporters of monarchy, backing royal rule over other forms of government. In 17th-century England, they supported kings like Charles I.

Absolutists

Believers in absolute monarchy, where rulers held all power by divine right. Common in 1600s Europe, like Louis XIV's France. Faced growing opposition that fed into Enlightenment and revolutionary ideas.

Squanto

Native American who helped the Pilgrims survive by teaching them farming and fishing. Key to the success of Plymouth Colony. Symbol of early cooperation between Natives and settlers.

Massachusetts Bay (colony)

English colony founded in 1630 by Puritans seeking religious freedom. Meant to be a "city upon a hill." Became a major center of religion, trade, and self-government in New England.

Congregationalists

Puritans who believed each church should govern itself independently. Dominant in Massachusetts Bay Colony. Helped shape early democratic and religious practices in New England.