Unit One: AP US History

These flashcards cover key concepts from Unit One of AP US History, focusing on the Columbian Exchange, colonization, and European-Native American relations.

What economic opportunities were Ferdinand and Isabella seeking in the East?

They were seeking sponsorship for exploring new wealth in Asian markets.

Who is Christopher Columbus?

An Italian sailor who sought sponsorship from Ferdinand and Isabella to sail west to find wealth in Asia.

What was the Columbian Exchange?

The transfer of people, animals, plants, diseases from the East to the West and vice versa.

Name a significant food that was transferred from the Americas to Europe.

Potatoes, tomatoes, or maize.

What is the encomienda system?

An economic system where Spaniards forced natives to work on plantations and extract precious metals.

What economic change occurred in Europe due to wealth from the Americas?

A shift from feudalism to a more capitalistic system.

What role did joint stock companies play in exploration?

They allowed multiple investors to pool resources for funding ventures with limited liability.

What were peninsulares in the social hierarchy of Spanish colonies?

Spaniards born in Spain.

What was the attitude of most Europeans towards Native Americans?

They viewed them mostly as subjects for exploitation and conversion.

Who was Bartolomé de las Casas?

A priest who defended the humanity of Native Americans and opposed their enslavement.

How did Europeans justify the exploitation of African laborers?

Through misinterpretations of the Bible, specifically the curse of Ham.

What disease had a devastating effect on Native American populations?

Smallpox.

What was a major agricultural product sent from Europe to the Americas?

Wheat or rice.

What social class was formed based on racial ancestry in Spanish colonies?

Casta system.

Which group was ranked lowest in the Spanish colonial social hierarchy?

Native Americans.