APUSH Term List 1

John Cabot

Italian explorer for England who claimed land in North America in 1497

Joint-Stock Company

Business entity where investors pool capital to fund colonization

Cecil Calvert

Lord Baltimore

Act of Toleration

1649 Maryland law granting religious freedom to Christians but punishing non-Christians.

Roger Williams

Puritan minister banished from Massachusetts Bay Colony; founded Rhode Island with religious freedom.

Providence

Settlement founded by Roger Williams as a refuge for religious dissenters.

Rhode Island

Colony known for religious tolerance and separation of church and state.

Anne Hutchinson

Challenged Puritan clergy authority with antinomian beliefs; banished to Rhode Island.

Antinomianism

Belief that faith alone

Halfway Covenant

Puritan church policy allowing partial membership for descendants of church members.

Quakers

Religious group advocating equality

William Penn

Quaker founder of Pennsylvania promoting religious freedom and fair treatment of Native Americans.

Holy Experiment

Penn’s attempt to create a colony based on religious tolerance and good relations with Natives.

Chart of Liberties (1701)

Pennsylvania’s early constitution guaranteeing trial by jury

Cash Crops - Tobacco Rice Indigo

Primary export crops in southern colonies fueling plantation economies.

Jamestown

First permanent English settlement in North America

Captain John Smith

Leader who helped Jamestown survive early years through discipline and diplomacy.

John Rolfe

Introduced tobacco to Virginia; married Pocahontas to ease tensions.

Pocahontas

Native American who helped maintain peace between Powhatan tribe and English settlers.

Virginia

First royal colony with tobacco-based economy and plantation agriculture.

Virginia House of Burgesses

First representative assembly in colonial America

Plymouth Colony

English colony founded by Separatist Pilgrims in 1620 seeking religious freedom.

Separatists

Puritans wanting complete separation from the Church of England.

Pilgrims

Group of Separatists who sailed on the Mayflower to found Plymouth Colony.

Mayflower

Ship transporting Pilgrims to New England in 1620.

Massachusetts Bay Colony

Large Puritan colony founded in 1630 for religious reform and community.

Mayflower Compact

Agreement establishing self-government and majority rule among Pilgrims.

Puritans

English Protestants aiming to purify the Church of England.

John Winthrop

Governor of Massachusetts Bay Colony; envisioned it as a "city upon a hill."

Great Migration

Movement of thousands of Puritans to Massachusetts Bay Colony in the 1630s.

Thomas Hooker

Founder of Connecticut; promoted more democratic government.

John Davenport

Founder of New Haven Colony known for strict religious rules.

Connecticut

Colony founded by Puritans seeking land and political freedom.

Fundamental Orders of Connecticut (1639)

First written constitution in America establishing representative government.

New Hampshire

Colony founded by Massachusetts settlers; became royal colony in 1679.

The Carolinas

Southern proprietary colonies with plantation economies.

New York

Originally Dutch New Amsterdam; English seized and renamed it.

New Jersey

Proprietary colony formed from part of New York for religious and political freedom.

Pennsylvania

Quaker colony founded by William Penn promoting tolerance.

Delaware

Originally part of Pennsylvania; separate colony with diverse settlers.

Georgia

Last English colony; refuge for debtors and buffer against Spanish Florida.

James Oglethorpe

Founder of Georgia; aimed to help debtors and defend colony.

Frame of Government (1682-1683)

Pennsylvania constitution emphasizing representative government and religious freedom.

Corporate Colonies

Colonies run by joint-stock companies with shareholders.

Royal Colonies

Colonies under direct control of the English crown.

Proprietary Colonies

Colonies granted by the crown to individuals/groups with governing rights.

Virginia Company

Joint-stock company that financed Jamestown settlement.

Chesapeake Colonies

Virginia and Maryland regions based on tobacco plantations and slavery.

Triangle Trade

Three-way trade between Americas

Mercantilism

Economic theory that colonies exist to enrich the mother country.

Navigation Acts

British laws regulating colonial trade to benefit England.

Dominion of New England

1686 English administrative union consolidating New England colonies.

Sir Edmund Andros

Governor of Dominion of New England; unpopular authoritarian rule.

Glorious Revolution

1688 overthrow of James II; led to collapse of Dominion of New England.

Wampanoag

Native tribe allied with Pilgrims; fought in King Philip’s War.

Metacom (King Philip)

Wampanoag leader who led resistance against English settlers.

King Philip’s War

1675-1676 conflict between New England colonists and Native Americans.

Sir William Berkeley

Virginia governor during Bacon’s Rebellion; opposed frontier expansion.

Bacon’s Rebellion

1676 uprising of Virginia settlers against government policies.

New England Confederation

1643 alliance of New England colonies for defense.

Indentured Servants

Laborers working for passage to America in exchange for years of service.

Headright System

Land grants given to settlers who paid their own passage to colonies.

Slavery

Forced labor system primarily using Africans; became dominant in southern colonies.

Middle Passage

Terrible sea journey transporting enslaved Africans to Americas.

Benjamin West

Colonial painter known for historical scenes.

John Copley

Prominent colonial portrait artist.

Benjamin Franklin

Inventor

Poor Richard’s Almanack

Franklin’s popular publication offering advice and wisdom.

Phillis Wheatley

First published African American poet.

John Bartram

Early American botanist.

Ministry

Colonial clergy influential in community and politics.

Physicians

Early colonial doctors with limited medical knowledge.

Lawyers

Profession helping define colonial laws and rights.

Religious Tolerance

Allowing diverse religious beliefs and practices.

Established Churches

Official state-supported churches like Anglican or Congregational.

Great Awakening

Religious revival in 1730s-40s emphasizing personal faith and emotional preaching.

Jonathan Edwards

Preacher famous for fiery sermons during the Great Awakening.

George Whitefield

Charismatic preacher who toured colonies during the Great Awakening.

Cotton Mather

Puritan minister involved in Salem Witch Trials and smallpox inoculation.

Sectarian

Supporting a particular religious sect.

Nonsectarian

Not affiliated with any religious sect.

Subsistence Farming

Farming just enough to support one’s family.

German

Large immigrant group settling mainly in Pennsylvania.

Scot-Irish

Frontier settlers from Scotland and Ireland.

Huguenots

French Protestants who fled persecution to settle in America.

Dutch

Early settlers of New York with cultural influence.

Swedes

Settled Delaware before English takeover.

Africans

Enslaved people who shaped colonial economy and culture.

Immigrants

People arriving from Europe and Africa seeking new opportunities.

Social Mobility

Ability to improve social status in colonies.

Hereditary Aristocracy

Inherited social class

John Peter Zenger

Printer whose trial advanced freedom of the press.

Andrew Hamilton

Lawyer who defended Zenger

Enlightenment

Intellectual movement emphasizing reason

Governor

Colonial executive appointed by crown or proprietors.

Legislature

Colonial elected assemblies responsible for laws and taxation.

Town Meetings

Local New England assemblies where colonists voted directly on issues.