Social Studies 4-8 Texas Certification - PACT
What came out of the renaissance?
It was a period of growing knowledge and innovations in technology. Better maps and new tech changed naviagtion.
How did the Nomadic Hunter-Gatherers travel to America from Asia?
It was during the Ice Age. This means that seawater was frozen, causing the ocean level to be low. Gatherers were able to cross land that had been exposed due to this, known as the Bering Land Bridge. This was located at the tip of Asia and reached to Alaska.
What was the language of the Inca Empire?
Quechua
Define Theocracy
Rule by god(s); government where the priests are in charge
What were the crusades?
Nine expeditions by Europeans to win back control of their holy sites from the Muslims
Who were the first people to arrive in America?
Nomadic Hunter-Gatherers
Remember the order in which the first empires rose and fell
Oh! -Olmec My! -Maya America's -Aztec Interesting! -Inca
Why did the people first come to America?
People were following animal migrations, but they stopped when Beringia was covered by water when the glacial period ended
Name 3 types of homes that the Anasazi created
Pit houses, pueblos, and cliff dwellings
What was the land Columbus first found?
San Salvador, "Holy Savior", ashore of the Bahamas
What was Cahokia?
The largest settlement of the Mississippian people
What is the Line of Demarcation?
The line Pope Alexander VI drew on a map from top to the bottom giving Spain everything tot he west and Portugal everything to the East on the newly found lands.
Sugar became known as...
"White gold"
How did Cortes and Pizarro conquer powerful empires?
-Their weapons, armors, and horses made them seem godlike and gave them advantage -They took their enemies by surprise -They got the support of oppressed locals -European diseases like smallpox wiped out a large percentage of the Aztec and Inca populations
Why did plantations owners think Africans were ideal workers for plantations?
-They were far from home, so they didn't have a free place to run away to -Plantation owners could enslave the slave's children -Many of the slaves had been farmers, so they had experience -They already had immunity to the diseases that killed Native Americans
What were the Nina, Pinta, and Santa Maria?
3 ships Columbus had to find a quicker route to India by sailing West.
What is Monks Hound?
A 100 foot high mound in Collinsville, Illinois
Who was Hernan Cortes?
A Spanish Conquistador who attacked the Aztecs and captured Montezuma.
What is a theocracy?
A government controlled by priests
Define society
A group of people living together as a group
What was the economic theory of Mercantilism
A nation's power was in its wealth
What is a cash crop?
A plant that farmers grow to make money. (coffee, cotton, tobacco, and sugar.)
Who were the Olmec?
A society who flourished in MesoAmerica. They grew enough food to feed thousands of people and are known for the giant stone sculptures and pyramids they built. In 400 BC, they disappeared and no-one knows why.
What is the Land Bridge Theory?
A theory of the Hunter-Gatherers using the Bering Land Bridge to cross from Asia to America during the Ice Age.
What was the triangular trade?
A triangle shaped series of Atlantic trade routes linking West Indies (Sugar & molasses) ------> American Colonies (Rum & Iron) -------> Africa (Slaves & Gold) ------->
What is the Northwest Passage?
A water route through NA, so ships could sail from the Atlantic to the Pacific for trade
Define civilizations
An advanced and complicated society
What is maize?
An early form of corn
Define Anasazi
Ancient ones
Where and when did the Maya civilization develop?
Around 300 BC in the mesoamerican rain forest
When did the first people start to arrive in America?
Around 38,000 BC. (40,000 years ago)
What is an example of a nomadic Native American tribe?
Blackfoot/Apache/Comanche/Dakota
What did Prince Henry the Navigator do?
Built a school of navigation in the 1400s which developed the caravel and enabled Portuguese sailors to explore the coast of West Africa and trade for gold, ivory, and slaves. What they wanted most was to sail to India and trade directly with its merchants.
How did Christopher Columbus receive money for his voyage?
By appealing to the desire to spread Christianity and by promising incredible riches. King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain.
What was the silk road?
Caravan routes which linked China and the West. (Silk and spice)
What did Marco Polo do?
Introduced Europeans to the four "S's" (Spices, Silk, Scents, and precious Stones) from Asia and the Middle East.
How do cultures become different from one another?
It happens over time, as they are separated from their roots and develop new traditions
North Atlantic Current
Clockwise
In 1492....
Columbus sailed the ocean blue.
Define Nomadic Hunter-Gatherers
Communities of people who move from place to place, relying on plants and animals found in the wild for food
Who was Francisco Pizarro?
Conquered the Incas
What were slave codes?
Considered slaves property and granted them almost no rights
South Atlantic Current
Counterclockwise
What were "pit houses"?
Dwellings dug partly into the ground by Anasazi people in 12000 BCE in the 4 corners
What are missions?
Focused on converting people to Christianity
Who were the Vikings?
From Scandinavia, first Europeans to explore NA.
Who was Amerigo Vespucci?
He sailed along the coast of South America and was one of the first to realize it was not Asia. A German mapmaker labeled the new land "America" in his honor
Define Cliff-Dwellings
Homes built along cliff walls and mountainsides
What did magnetic compasses do?
Improved safety and efficiency of ocean travel
Olmec Location and Time Frame
Mesoamerica, 1200-400 BC
Maya Location and Time Frame
Mesoamerica, 300 BC-900 CE
Aztec Location and Time Frame
Mexico, Tenochtitlan, 1110-1521 CE
Who were the first settlers in America?
Some nomadic tribes stayed in Alaska, they then began to settle in America by building permanent homes and learning to plant seeds
Inca Location and Time Frame
South America, Cuzco, 1100-1533 CE
What were caravels?
Speedy and maneuverable boats with sails
What was the capital of the Aztec Empire and when was it founded?
Tenochtitlan, 1325 CE
What was La Noche Triste?
The "sad night", June 30, 1520. The people pf Tenochtitlan drove the Spanish and their allies from the city. The Aztec emperor was killed.
Who set up Tobacco Plantations originally?
The British
What happened in 10,500 BC
The Ice Age ended. Oceans rose and covered the Bering Land Bridge. This prevented migration into North America. Ice Age animals died off or were hunted until extinction. Smaller animals that thrive in warmer weather replaced them
What was a negative effect of the Columbian Exchange?
The Native Americans did not have immunity to European Diseases and 20 million died over a 100 year span
Who was one of the first great civilizations?
The Olmec society
What is MesoAmerica?
The area now called Central America
What was the Columbian Exchange?
The global transfer of foods, plants, and animals during the colonization of the Americas.
What was the Middle Passage?
The journey of slaves from Africa to the Americas
What was Beringia?
The land bridge between Asia and North America
Define Migration
The movement of a number of people (or animals), often to establish a new homeland
Define Culture
The way a society behaves and its system of beliefs, laws, and customs
Who were the Aztecs?
They began as hunters and warriors, conquering what is now Central Mexico around 1100 CE. They founded their capital, Tenochtitlan in 1325 on an island in the middle of Lake Texcoco. They built bridges to connect the island to their mainland. The capital became one of the largest cities in the world. They continued to conquer and became extremely powerful. They even used some prisoners as human sacrifices. By 1500, they were a powerful empire.
Who were the Incas?
They began as small groups in the Andres Mountains. Around 1100 CE, they founded their capital, Cuzco, in what is now Peru. Powerful government united them into a population of about 12 million people, all speaking the common language of Quechua. They did terraced farming and built cities such as Machu Picchu for their religious ceremonies.
Who were the Maya?
They raised crops and built pyramids and temples. They had theocracy, meaning they worshipped the sun, stars, and moon. They also developed a 365-day calendar. The Maya built a large trade network and canals. By 900 CE, their power and influence had diminished greatly.
Why did the Portuguese want to sail directly to India?
They wanted to cut out the middleman
Conquistadores were...
They wanted to: Convert people to Christianity, trade for goods, find lots of gold. A Spanish explorer and conqueror given permission to settle in America form this King and Queen. In return they would receiver 20 percent of any treasure found.
What caused the Nomadic Hunter-Gatherers to come to America?
They were following herds of animals they were hunting
What are presidios?
They were forts
How did the Mound Builders use mounds?
To be used as temples and tombs
Why did the Spanish and Portuguese decide they needed slaves?
To help with tough farming of sugar. American Indians originally were doing the work but diseases were killing their population
What were the "Four Corner" areas?
Where Utah, Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico meet
What was a major factor in the differences between the cultures of Native American tribes?
Where they lived: climate, geography, and resources
What are pueblos?
Which were towns and trading centers
What was the Treaty of Tordesillas?
agreement between Spain and Portugal aimed at settling conflicts over lands newly discovered or explored by Christopher Columbus and other late 15th-century voyagers.
What is adobe?
sun-dried brick, a type of clay
