Colonies
Colony
A territory that is controlled/owned by another but is independent from that place
charter
A legal document, often given by a leader or king, that gives the holder the right to organize settlements in an area
Virginia Company of London
English joint stock company established by royal charter to set up colonial settlements in North America; was the funding source for settlement of Jamestown
indigenous
native to a certain area
cash crop
agricultural product that can be cultivated and sold for money
tobacco
Cash crop that made a profit and saved Jamestown; is often smoked as tradition or habit
drought
a long period without rain
gentleman
a man of upper society in England who did not work; many of these people came to Jamestown seeking wealth and freedom
Indentured Servitude
a voluntary agreement to work for a set amount of time in exchange for something in return, like free passage to an overseas destination.
Chattel Slavery
Absolute legal ownership of another person, including the right to buy or sell that person.
House of Burgesses
Elected assembly governing first colony of Virginia; first type of democratic government in colonies
Representative Government
a system by which people elect delegates to make laws and conduct government
Pilgrims
English Puritans who founded Plymouth colony in 1620; a person who journeys somewhere for religious reasons
Separatists
People who wanted to have a separate, or different church. Also known as Pilgrims.
Puritans
A religious group who wanted to purify the Church of England; came to America for religious freedom and settled in Massachusetts.
Mayflower
The ship that brought the Pilgrims to the New World.
Mayflower Compact
the first governing document of Plymouth Colony setting up fair laws to protect people and allow them to settle there
Strangers
people on board the Mayflower who were not Separatists or not there for religious passage to the New World
Triangular Trade
A three way system of trade; enslaved people were sent to the Colonies, Raw Materials and cash crops were sent to Europe; Arms and other cash crops or liquors were sent to Africa
Middle Passage
A voyage that brought enslaved Africans across the Atlantic Ocean to North America and the West Indies
brackish
mix of salt water and fresh water
Angola
modern African country from where enslaved people when traveling to "new world" in 1619
isthmus
narrow strip of land connecting two larger land areas
Anno Domini
in the year of the Lord/abbreviation for A.D.
Civil Body Politick
the concept of self-rule, allowing a group of people to set up rules to govern itself.
Casa De Contratación
A Spanish government agency that controlled trade and shipping between Spain and its colonies in the Americas
El Camino Real
A network of roads used by the Spanish to connect missions, settlements, and trading centers in their colonies
Viceroy
A person appointed by the Spanish king to govern a large colonial territory on his behalf.
Penisulares
People born in Spain who moved to the colonies and held the highest positions in colonial society
Mestizo
Person of mixed Spanish and indigenous ancestry
Arid
Dry, with little rainfall, making farming and growing crops difficult
Casta System (caste in English)
A social ranking system in Spanish colonies that classified people based on their ancestry and birthplace
Criollos (Creoles)
People of Spanish ancestry who were born in the Americas rather than Spain
Audiencia
A high court in Spanish colonies that enforced laws and helped oversee colonial government
Bartolomé de Las Casas
A Spanish priest who spoke out against the mistreatment and enslavement of Indigenous peoples
Iroquois Confederation
An alliance of five Indigenous nations in northeastern North America that worked together for protection, peace, and political strength
Pelts
Animal skins with fur that were valuable trade goods, especially in the French fur trade.
Samuel de Champlain
A French explorer who founded Quebec in 1608 and helped establish French settlements and fur trading relationships in Canada.
Rene-Robert Cavelier Sieur de La Salle
A French explorer who traveled the Mississippi River and claimed the Louisiana territory for France in 1682
Proprietary Government
A type of English colonial government in which the king gave land to an individual or group who controlled and governed the colony
Missionary
A person who travels to spread their religion and often try to convert others to their faith
Seven Years War
A war between major European powers, including Britain and France, from 1756 to 1763. In North America, it was called the French and Indian War and ended with Britain gaining much of France's territory
Sugar Cane
A tropical crop grown on plantations to produce sugar, often using enslaved labor in European colonies
Mercantalism
An economic system in which European countries used colonies to obtain raw materials and create wealth for the home country
Charter Colony
An English colony governed under a written agreement from the king that gave colonists some power to govern themselves
Montagnais
An Indigenous people of northeastern Canada who traded furs and formed alliances with French settlers. Also known as the Innu
Algonquin
An Indigenous people of the Ottawa River region who traded with the French and formed alliances with them
Royal Colony
An English colony controlled directly by the king through a governor appointed by the Crown