AP History

Encomienda

A Spanish colonial system where colonists were granted the right to demand labor or tribute from Indigenous people.

North American populations at the time of Columbus’s arrival

Millions of Indigenous people lived in diverse, complex societies across North America.

Native American agriculture

included crops like corn, beans, and squash, often grown together using sustainable methods.

Economic system (farming)

involves producing food and goods through agriculture to support communities and trade.

Trans-atlantic slave trade

forced transport of millions of Africans to the Americas for labor between the 16th and 19th centuries.

The Valladolid debate

discussion in Spain about the morality of colonizing the Americas and the treatment of Indigenous peoples.

Spanish influence in the Western Hemisphere

included colonization, spreading Christianity, the Spanish language, and European culture, especially in Latin America.

Encomienda and slavery (compare and contrast the two systems)

encomienda forced tribute from Indigenous people, while slavery treated Africans as property.

The Columbian exchange

transfer of plants, animals, people, and diseases between the Americas and the Old World after Columbus's voyages.

Native American opposition to European settlement

resisted European settlement through warfare, alliances, and preserving their cultures.

Religious motive for exploitation and colonization

Europeans used religion to justify colonization by aiming to spread Christianity and convert Indigenous peoples.

Maize (corn)

Maize (corn) is a staple crop domesticated by Native Americans, essential for food and agriculture.

Hernan Cortes & Mexica (Aztecs)

Hernán Cortés was a Spanish conquistador who led the conquest of the Mexica (Aztec) Empire in the early 1500s.

Disease

illnesses like smallpox brought by Europeans that devastated Indigenous populations in the Americas