APUSH Chapters 1-3
Smallpox
A deadly disease brought to the New World by Europeans. Spread rapidly to Native Americans, who did not have immunity. Indian population shrunk by 90% by 1800 due to the disease. This helped the Europeans spread and colonize.
Sextant
A navigational instrument that measured the altitude of stars/celestial bodies.
Encomienda system
A policy of the Spanish government to give Native Americans to certain colonists in exchange for the promise to make them Christian. This was part of a broader effort of the Spanish to subdue and control Indian tribes in the West Indies, and on the North American mainland.
Feudalism
A political system in which slaves worked land for their bosses in exchange for food and protection. European Feudal Lords made slaves work for them and gave them barely enough food and water to survive.
Great Basin
A region bounded by the Rockies in the East and the Sierra/Cascade ranges in the West. Located in central/western America. A lack of natural resources led Natives to become nomadic in this region.
de Las Casas, Bartolome′
A spanish priest who criticized the treatment of natives by conquistadors. He wrote many books and letters on this mistreatment, which resulted in new laws.
Pawnee
A well established American Indian tribe that had contact with European explorers. Resided in plains. Nomadic. Followed herds of buffalo.
Pueblo
A well established American Indian tribe that had contact with European explorers. Southwestern. Known for their multi-storied buildings and intricate irrigation systems.
How did Puritan Roger Williams challenge the established practices of churches in Massachusetts?
A young minister who was controversial but kind. He argued that the church of Massachusetts should abandon all allegiance to the Church of England, and called for a total separation of church and state. He was banished due to these ideas. Later on, he obtained a charter from Parliament permitting him to establish a government in Rhode Island, where the gov. Gave no support to the church and allowed members of all faiths (including Jews) to worship.
Permanent villages
After popularization of maize cultivation in the Americas, hunter-gatherer societies moved from nomadic to stable lifestyles. People settled down in one spot and created communities due to surplus of food.
What were the reasons for differing economic systems in the North and explain the impact of those systems on its social structure
Agricultural was the single most important part of Northern economy. However, it was not as dominated by farming as the South, because farming conditions were less favorable in the North. The majority of colonists engaged in industry at home, providing families with surplus goods to trade and sell. Craftsmen and artisans established themselves in colonial towns. Shipbuilding, grain grinding, cloth processing, and lumber mills became popular industries. Metalworks initially faced financial failure, but gradually became one of the largest industrial enterprises in North America. However, they didn't experience the same financial boom as those in England, due to shortage of labor, small domestic market, and a lack of transportation and energy.
What was the Toleration Act of 1649?
An act that assured the freedom of worship to all Christians in America. This act was created to encourage the immigration of protestants as well as Catholics.
Capitalism
An economic system calling for private property, free trade, and open markets. Europe's colonization of the Americas and subsequent discovery of its abundant resources helped bring about capitalism in Europe
Agricultural economy
An economic system centered around the cultivation and trade of crops. This made maize a hugely significant crop in 1500s Americas.
Hunter-gatherer economy
An economic system in which the women of the society collect natural growing foods, while the men hunt game. In areas of North America where Maize had not been popularized, this system was very popular. Very often found in nomadic societies.
How did Puritan Anne Hutchinson challenge the established practices of churches in Massachusetts?
An intelligent and charismatic women who antagonized colonial leaders by arguing that members of the Massachusetts clergy were not among the 'elect'. That is people who had not been converted, and had no right to spiritual office. She developed a large following of women, as well as merchants, young men, and others who resented the oppressive character of colonial government. She was banished as a woman not fit for society.
How did mercantilism contribute to power rivalries among the European nations?
Because mercantilism taught that wealth was fixed, people believed that nations should regulate their economic affairs. Massive colonial trade restrictions ensued because of this.
How did the lives of enslaved Africans change over the course of the first century of slavery in North America?
By the mid eighteenth century, almost 3/4 of all blacks lived on plantations of ten or more slaves. Nearly half lived with fifty or more slaves. This breeded a society and culture within plantations. Complex family structures began to establish in plantations. Increased life expectancy of slaves, equalizing sex ratios, and increased populations allowed nuclear families to form, though these families were constantly jeopardized. Families could be separated, sold, and killed at any moment, so the black family turned from traditional to one focusing on surrogate 'relatives' and extended familial networks. This ability to adapt was found constantly in slave culture. Hybrid American-African languages and religions surfaced. Some slaves were treated with respect by their masters, but others were met with brutality and sadism. This warranted acts of individual resistance as well as slave rebellions. The Stono Rebellion of 1739 is an example of this.
What were the reasons for differing economic systems in the South and explain the impact of those systems on its social structure
Chesapeake tobacco was a staple of the South's agricultural economy. Immense European demand for tobacco provided some planters with enormous amounts of wealth, establishing a definitive class system in the South. The planters who could expanded their land, enlarged, their fields, and acquired laborers. This influx of both wealth and need for cheap labor greatly increased the popularity of slaves on plantations, setting the stage for the South's slave based economy later on. South Carolina and Georgia's economic staple was rice. Rice paddies were considered to be inhospitable for white workers, as the mud was knee deep, mosquito infested, and boiling in the hot sun. Because of this aversion, the Carolinian and Georgian economy relied heavily on African slaves, who were more resistant to malaria and more adept at agricultural tasks. The production of Indigo dye was popularized as well. Because of the South's dependance on cash crops, southern colonies did not establish as much of a commercial or industrial economy as other regions. This established it as the agricultural powerhouse of past and present America.
Spanish mission settlements
Christian missions (a Spanish colonial architectural style) established by the Spanish Empire during the 15th and 17th in Mexico and southwestern portions of the US.
What effect did mercantilism have on colonial economies? Did the effects differ according to which European nation owned the colony?
Colonies were critical to a nation's economy. They provided raw materials, and were markets for finished goods. The system took many colonial forms. England, Spain, and the Netherlands mercantilism identified with the middle class, who profited from increasing trade. In France and Germany, state officials rather than citizens closely tied with the principles of mercantilism.
What factors led to the first voyage of Christopher Columbus
Columbus originally turned to Portugal to support his plan, but was turned down, so he turned to Spain. The Spaniards were not as advanced as the Portuguese in terms of maritime travel, but they had energy and ambition. Ferdinand and Isabella, the Spanish monarchs, were eager to demonstrate their strength by sponsoring ventures, so they agreed to his requests. He received 90 men and 3 ships.
Describe the effects of Spanish exploration on both native peoples and on the environment of North America.
Conquistadores were daring and brutal, and exterminated native populations through warfare and disease. They exposed natives to Smallpox, decimating their populations. Some agricultural settlers helped establish European civilization in America by altering landscape and social structures.
Explain how American Indians in the Prairie used their environment to subsist.
Created successful communities, which were wealthy and densely populated. Centered their lives on fishing, hunting small game, and gathering.
Explain how American Indians in the Southwest used their environment to subsist.
Elaborate agricultural society. They built large irrigation systems to allow farming on dry land. Constructed large towns that became trade, craft, religious, and civic centers. Created pueblos which resemble modern apartment buildings.
Explain how American Indians in the Great Plains used their environment to subsist.
Engaged in sedentary farming of corn and grains, lived in permanent settlements. Occasionally had small nomadic tribes that hunted buffalo.
Identify at least two historical estimates of pre-Columbian population and the methods used to make them. Provide one problem with the method used, which might lead to a questioning of the estimate
Ethnographer and painter George Catlin spent time around tribes in the 1830s. As he listened to Indigenous oral legends about pre-Columbian tribes, he estimated that there had been 16 million Indians before the Europeans came. An issue with this method is that storytelling is often embellished. Native americans may have inflated this number as stories were passed from one generation of the other in order to create awe. In 1928, ethnologist James Mooney drew from early soldier and missionary accounts in the sixteenth century. He came up with the figure of 1.15 million natives north of Mexico. This figure could be inaccurate because long dead missionaries and soldiers are not necessarily reliable sources, and whole tribes and societies could have slipped under their radar.
Describe the biological and cultural exchanges between the New World and Europe that is called the Columbian Exchange. Make a chart of exchanges from Europe to New World and vice versa
European diseases were imported to the new world. Thought Europeans were at least partially immune to these diseases, Native Americans were vulnerable, resulting in millions of deaths. Europeans introduced important crops to america, domestic livestock, and horses to natives. Native americans provided new agricultural techniques, discovered new crops such as maize, and returned to Europe to revolutionize European agriculture. Intermarriage became frequent, creating a large population of mixed race settlers. A racial hierarchy developed, with Spanish at the top, Natives at the bottom, and mixed race in the middle. Soon, the wealth of a family came to define its place in the hierarchy.
:Compare the patterns of family life and women's roles (including social attitudes toward women) in The South
Family life and the role of women in American society varied greatly from region to region. In Chesapeake, and many other regions, the role of women in families was affected by the high mortality rate. The traditionally male-centered, English family structure was undermined by the frequency of male death. Women in the Chesapeake became pregnant every two years, bearing an average of eight children in their lives. Many women died in childbirth. In the South, traditions were even more undermined due to the commonality of indentured servitude in the area. Because many servants were not allowed to marry until the end of their contract, premarital sex and relationships were common. Though there was a loser attitude towards these behaviors, there were consequences for the results of these actions. If a female servant became pregnant, she could face fines, whippings, extra service, and the loss of her child. Though women faced many hardships in the seventeenth century south, they had a greater degree of power and freedom than women elsewhere in America. There were many men and few women, resulting in women having power over prospective husbands. Women often outlived their husbands, leaving them with several children and a farm or plantation. This gave them hardship and also significant economic power. As women married and remarried widowers, they obtained enormous and complicated families, giving them the role of mediator and matriarch. This resulted in a mother-centric family dynamic.
Portuguese exploration
First country to investigate Sub-Saharan land of Africa. First country to round the Southern tip of Africa. Found a trade route to the Indies.
Where did the French and the Dutch establish colonies in North America?
France founded its first permanent settlement in Quebec, forging close tires with natives, and established an extensive fur trade. The Dutch settled in what is now New york State, thanks to English explorer Henry Hudson.
Political autonomy
Freedom of a community to set up a government on their own terms.
Cultural autonomy
Freedom to express your culture, lifestyle, and religion without fear of oppression or discrimination.
How and why was Maryland settled?
George Calvert, the first Lord of Baltimore, was a convert to Catholicism and a businessman. He envisioned a colony that was both valuable in real estate and a retreat for English Catholics. He died before his vision was executed, but his son received a charter from the King. This charter was remarkable because it gave him a huge territory, encompassing parts of three states other than Maryland. It also gave him huge amounts of power. He and his heirs were to hold their province as true and absolute lords, and had to pay only an annual fee to the crown to hold this position. In March 1634, two ships bearing between 200 and 300 passengers landed in Maryland, where they began to lay out villages. Neighboring Indians befriended the settlers, provided them with shelter, sold them land, and gave them corn. The early Marylanders experienced no assaults, plagues, or starving.
Explain how American Indians in the Eastern Woodland used their environment to subsist.
Had the greatest food resources of any region. Engaged in farming, hunting, gathering, and fishing. More nomadic than other regions. Most land was not fertile, so farming techniques were designed to use land quickly rather than develop permanent settlements. Cleared land with forest fires and then planted crops. Then they would move on and establish themselves somewhere else.
Describe the contribution of John Rolfe to the tobacco economy of the Chesapeake region.
He began cultivating tobacco in Virginia, and soon other planters followed. Tobacco was the colonies first profitable crop for the settlers, and encouraged tobacco planters to move inland into the natives farmlands. He produced high quality crops and found buyers in England. The tobacco economies profitability, uncertainty, and labor demands transformed Chesapeake society fundamentally.
How did Puritan John Wheelwright challenge the established practices of churches in Massachusetts?
He was a disciple of Anne Hutchinson, who led his fellow dissenters to exeter, New Hampshire.
How did Puritan Thomas Hooker challenge the established practices of churches in Massachusetts?
He was a minister of Newtown who was drawn to the Connecticut Valley. He defied the Massachusetts government and established Hartford alongside his congregation. Later, the people of Hartford established a government of their own and adopted a constitution.
Who was John Winthrop?
He was chosen to be the governor of Massachusetts. He was university educated and deeply religious. He organized the migration of 1,000 people to New England.
What was the significance of Bacon's Rebellion?
In 1676, Nathaniel Bacon purchased a substantial farm in the backcountry, and won a seat on the governor's council. He was frequently frustrated by Berkeley and his policies, specifically those regarding Natives. In 1675, Doeg Indians raided a western plantation and killed a white servant. Local whites fought back, and the Indians responded with more raids and murders. Bacon and other concerned landowners, unhappy with the governors caution in response to their demand for help, defied Berkeley and struck out on their own. What started as an unauthorized assault on the Indians became a military challenge to the colonial government. It is the largest and most powerful insurrection against colonial authority (up until the revolution)
Pueblo Revolt (Pope's Rebellion)
In 1680 Indians rose up and killed 400 spaniards and forced 1500 colonists to flee from El Paso. They destroyed churches and wanted to restore old way of life. Eventually the spanish reasserted control, but agreed w/ Pueblos to reduce forced labor in exchange for Pueblos to adopt parts of Spanish culture (language, lineage, and military alliances)
Describe the intellectual culture of colonial America, as expressed in literature, philosophy, science, education, and law, and identify any regional differences
In colonial America, colonists valued education but rarely had the opportunity to partake in it. Agricultural families could not provide the time or money required to send their children to school. Most educational institutes were largely privatized or religious. Despite the elusive nature of colonial education, white male Americans were highly literate by the time of the Revolution. Women's literacy lagged due to the nearly nonexistent nature of schooling opportunities, and African slaves had virtually no access to education. Natives were also rarely educated (often by choice), though some missionaries established schools for Native Americans. As colleges and universities formed in America, it was apparent that religion and education were closely tied together. 4 of 6 colleges present in 1763 were founded by religious groups. Though more secular colleges remained conservative in their teachings, schools such as Harvard spread new scientific ideas, a sign of the Enlightenments effects on colonial America. That said, most promotion of advanced scientific theories occurred outside of the colleges, through amateurs and scientific societies. Intellectual culture became rooted in the merchants, planters, and theologians who spread advanced theories. High value was soon placed on scientific knowledge, rather than the fear and doubt that earlier colonists exhibited towards change. This allowed instrumental changes to occur in the field, most notably the inoculation against smallpox. As the New World moved away from the scientific ideals of the Old, it also moved away politically. Though the American legal system adopted some essential elements of the english system, significant discrepancies between the systems were established. American court procedures were simpler in America, and punishments were modified to accommodate labor demands. Rather than killing or imprisoning lawbreakers, American criminals were whipped, branded, or stocked. Imprisonment and execution were simply not practical in such a labor scarce society. In England, printed attacks (whether true or false) on a public official were declared libelous. In America, it was decided that if a printed attack on a public official was true, it was not libelous. This paved the way for modern freedom of speech laws. Due to the sheer distance between America and England, Americans created self-governing institutions. Local communities ran their affairs without interference from high authorities. Though provincial governors had power in theory, in practice they had little influence. Provincial governments acted independently of parliament.
What were the results of the Pequot War?
In one of the bloodiest acts of war against natives, hundreds of Indians were burned to death or killed by the English. Those who survived were hunted down and sold as slaves. The Pequot tribe was almost entirely wiped out.
Explain both the causes and effects of the Pueblo Revolt of 1680
In the 1660s and 1670s, Spanish priests tried to suppress tribal rituals that were incompatible with Christianity. This created discontent among natives. However, the main cause for the revolt was a major drought and a series of raids brought about by neighboring Apache tribes. These events caused the instability that sparked the uprising. These revolts caused the Spanish to realize that they could not prosper in New Mexico if they were constantly involved in native conflict. In order to solve this, they tried harder to assimilate the Indians into Catholic society, and allowed Pueblos to own land.
Identify a discovery which can be viewed as a turning point/significant even in the debate over the pre-Columbian population. How did this discovery change the debate?
In the 1960s, scholars discovered that early tribes were decimated by European plagues after the arrival of Columbus, meaning that the numbers Europeans observed in the late 1500s were already drastically smaller than those in 1492. Henry Dobyns claimed that there were between 10 and 12 million people North of Mexico, and between 90 and 112 million in all of the Americas in 1492.
What was the relationship between Indians and early settlers in New England?
Indians were crucial in the early settlers quest to develop agriculturally, and were important trading partners to settlers. But tensions began to rise as a result of white colonists appetite for land. At first, the English only slightly looked down on Natives, and had a sort of admiration for them. But as time went on, they began to view them as savages.
Analyze the relative importance of natural population increase vs. immigration in the development of colonial society
Initially, immigration was the greatest factor in North American population increase. Emergent middle class Englishmen migrated in search of religious and commercial freedom. As business moved west, so did a demand for labor. Laborers emigrated with hopes of prosperity, cheap land, and religious freedom. Indentured servants traded years of their lives for board, food, and passage to the New World. This cycle of demand for labor and supply of desperate immigrants greatly increased the North American population to the point where natives found themselves outnumbered, and Europeans/Africans dominated the populus. These immigrants found themselves facing lack of food, harsh winters, hostile natives, and frequent illnesses, leading to decreased life spans. However, as conditions improved and society developed, reproduction rates and lifespan longevity skyrocketed. New England's population quadrupled thanks to reproduction in the tail end of the seventeenth century. As conditions improved, life spans of some residents of New England parallel those of people in the twentieth century. Birth rate also increased as the sex ratio balanced out. As more children were born, more females were introduced to previously male dominated American society, allowing for more children to be born later on. Immigration was the dominant means of population increase in pre-1650s America, and was essential in laying the groundwork for future increases in populus. However, the natural population increase of 1700s America had a much more large and impressive impact, due to the sheer volume and speed at which the population increased.
What was the Massachusetts Bay Company?
It was started by a group of puritan merchants who wanted to take advantage of American opportunities. They acquired a charter and land, allowing them to create the Massachusetts Bay Company, and establish a colony. The puritans among them saw the venture as a chance to create a haven for themselves in new England.
What were the results of King Philip's War?
It was the most prolonged and deadly encounter between whites and Indians in the seventeenth century. For three years, Indians terrorized Massachusetts town, causing white settlers to fight back. The Europeans crushed the uprising, executing and selling Wampanoag Indians into slavery. Their populations depleted and their resources were reduced.
Western Hemisphere
Land West of the Prime Meridian. Known as the 'Old World'
Explain how American Indians in Northwest Coast used their environment to subsist.
Mainly salmon fishers, created large permanent settlements along the coast. Experienced constant infighting and competition over access to natural resources.
Read "America in the World," pg. 26-27. Explain the concept of mercantilism and answer question #1 and #2.
Mercantilism as a belief rested on the idea that the nation, rather than the individual, was at the center of economic life. It stated that each nation should work to improve its own share of the wealth for which every nation was competing. Mercantilism taught that a gain for France was a loss for Britain and Spain. It taught each nation to work for itself and weaken others. The theory taught that there was a fixed amount of wealth in the world, and any wealth acquired by a nation was taken from another.
Great Plains
Midwest United States. Sioux tribe originated here. A lack of natural resources led Natives to lead a nomadic lifestyle.
How did Congregationalist churches influence the government in Massachusetts?
Ministers had no formal political power, but they had influence on church members, who could vote or hold office. The government in turn protected the ministers, taxed the people to support the church, and enforced church-protecting laws. This made colonial Massachusetts in many ways a theocracy.
Describe labor sources of the Spanish in the New World in the sixteenth century.
Natives were the principal source of labor. All Spanish and Portuguese commercial, agricultural, and mining enterprises depended on natives. In some places, Natives were slaves. More often, there was a wage system closely related to slavery, in which Indians were forced to work in mines and plantations for set periods of time. The native population could not meet all labor needs of the colonists, and so in 1502, European settlers began importing slaves from Africa.
Who were the "praying Indians" and what role did they play in the Indians wars of the 17th century?
Natives who converted to Christianity and joined puritan communities. They allied with English settlers in wars.
New England
New England had many more immigrants and a much lower death rate than the South, resulting in a more stable and traditional family structure. Women, in the minority, married young and produced kids early. In contrast to the South, northern children were likely to survive, and families remained intact. This resulted in families as big as 10 people. Women lost their husbands later in life, casting them into less dependant roles. They also had less choice over who they could marry, because there were fewer unmarried men. Increased longevity meant that parents in New England saw their children and grandchildren grow up. Parents spent longer amounts of time in their children's lives, and were less likely to arrange marriages than in the south. Strict family supervision meant that premarital pregnancy was comparatively low. Puritanism placed a high value on family and male authority, and expected women to devote themselves to serving the needs of her husband and household.
Iroquois Confederation
One of the two major language groups of the eastern woodlands. Lived between Canada and Ohio. Still exist today on the Great Lakes.
Describe the early problems that the English colonists faced at Jamestown.
Only 104 men survived the journey. The site was swampy and surrounded by thick woods. Colonists were vulnerable to disease, especially malaria, which festered in the marshes. Colonists focused less on growing food and building homes, and rather focused on a futile search for hold. Because they had brought very few women, community building was near impossible, as they had no real household or motivation to settle.
Mestizos
People of Indian and European heritage, most notably in Mexico. In the middle of the racial hierarchy due to their mixed race status.
Describe the changes in sources of immigration from Europe and the settlement patterns of the different groups
Previous to the eighteenth century, English immigrants steadily left for America. But, at the turn of the century, England faced a better economy, new restrictions of emigration, and massive depopulation. Because of this, English emigration declined substantially. However, other countries continued and increased their immigration. The earliest example of non-English European immigrants were French Calvinists. 300,000 left France, a small portion of which traveled to English colonies in America. Palatinate Germans experienced brutal invaders, unusually cold winters, and an economic crash that sent 3,000 to America, arriving in New York. They became known as the Pennsylvania Dutch. The majority of the newcomers were Scottish Presbyterians. Parliament banned them from exporting their woolens to England, the English government outlawed the practice of Presbyterian religion, and rents doubled and tripled in England. This led thousands of tenants to emigrate to America. They occupied land where they pleased, and were ruthless in their repression and displacement of Indians. They settled mostly in North Carolina, and helped establish Presbyterianism in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. immigration and natural increased skyrocketed the non-native population. In 1700, the non-Indian population was less than 250,000. In 1775, it was over 2 million.
What was the relationship between Sir William Berkeley and "backcountry" Virginians?
Sir William Berkeley was the governor of Virginia. Elections were rare. The same people remained in office year after year. Each county only had two representatives, even though new counties had many more people than old counties. 'Backcountry' settlers were underrepresented or not represented at all.
Slave labor
Slaves were taken from West Africa and deported to the New World (and Europe). Slaves worked on large plantations. Popular form of labor because it was very cheap.
Plantation-based agriculture
Slaves were used to farm commercial agriculture on large farms. Came with the Portuguese discovery of slave trafficking in West Africa, leading to a greater desire for slave/free labor.
What were the differing viewpoints on how to solve the "Indian problem"?
Some puritans believed they needed to 'civilize' natives by converting them to Christianity and European ways. Others believed that natives needed to be displaced or exterminated.
Spanish exploration
Spain became super-power of exploration and conquest in 1500s. Discovered much of North and South America. Claimed most of American land in the Treaty of Tordesillas. Traders settled mostly in South America. Reached West Africa and contributed to the African Slave Trade.
Chinook
The Chinook were a Native American tribe that dominated the Northwest Coast. They were known for their meticulous totem poles. They inhabited lower and upper Columbia River.
What happened to Roanoke Colony?
The English sent a small group of men on an expedition to explore the North American coast. They came back with captive Indians, and were enthusiastic about an island called Roanoke. Settlers were deposited on the island, and antagonized the natives by destroying their village. The following spring, Sir Francis Drake arrived on the island with supplies and reinforcements. The wary colonists left on Drake's ship. Later, in 1587, an expedition of about 120 settlers was sent out with commander John White. They landed on Roanoke and attempted to take up where the first group left off. White returned to England in search of more settlers and supplies, and returned to the island three years later. When he did, he found the island deserted, finding only the word 'Croatoan' carved onto a post. The lost colony was never found.
Explain how American Indians in the Great Basin used their environment to subsist.
The Great Basin was largely arid, so societies responded by developing mobile lifestyles.
Explain the main features of the Iroquois Confederacy, and its interactions with the French, Dutch, and English
The Iroquois Confederacy was a confederation of five (later six) Indian tribes across New York state during the 17th and 18th centuries. It played a strategic role in the French and British struggle for control of North America. The tribes united in a council composed of clan and village chiefs. Each tribe had one vote, and a unanimous vote was required for decisions. 50 peace chiefs took care of all intertribal civil affairs. It was organized, well defined, and effective. They lacked administrative control, so the nations did not act in unison, but their success in warfare compensated for this. They trades beaver pelts to the English and Dutch for firearms, and grew dependant on the British for European goods. They came into conflict with the French frequently, because the French allied with enemy tribes.
Identify the commercial and religious motives for English colonization of North America.
The New World was new, and its land was viewed as mythical and untarnished. The English saw it as a way to move away from the social and economic issues of England at the time. Frequent wars, religious strife, and harsh economic conditions in Europe made America a welcome alternative. It also had abundant land, land that could be utilized in farming or wool production. English Reformation occurred when the pope refused to grant King Henry VIII a divorce, causing the King to break England's ties with Catholicism. He made himself the head of Christianity in England. Though the Church of England satisfied political objectives, it failed to satisfy religious English populations.
Why did King James I revoke the charter of the Virginia Company?
The company had poured all its funds into Jamestown, which was profitless. After the 1622 Indian uprising, the company faced imminent bankruptcy. In 1624, James I revoked the company's charter.
Empire building
The top level of the pyramid of bureaucracy. It occurs when a group tries to enhance its self-sufficiency by expanding its span of control/power, even when it is not a good idea for the organization.
Columbian Exchange
The transfer of goods, crops, and diseases between the New and Old Worlds in the 15th and 16th Century
What were the factors that led to European exploration of North America
There were many reasons. Fifteenth century Europe experienced a boom in population, leading to a raise in land value, a reawakening of commerce, and increased prosperity. A merchant class rose, trade increased, and advances began in navigation and shipbuilding. Interest in developing markets, finding products, and opening trade routes increased. New governments rose to replace the feudal past, and strong new monarchs emerge to create nation-states. Kings and queens increased wealth and power, and became eager to grow their nations.
Describe the changes that the Pilgrims (and later English colonists) brought to the New World.
They brought more than just people and ideas. They brought smallpox, almost eliminating the Plymouth Indian population completely. Their demand for furs, skins, and meat depleted the number of animals around plymouth. They introduced new crops, incorporated native foods into their diet, and fenced in pastures and fields for cultivation.
Explain the beliefs of Puritans (later members of Congregationalist churches).
They did not accept the authority of the Roman Catholic or Church of England. They did not follow traditional ceremonial worship. Instead, they read from the bible and listened to ministers who spoke from their own beliefs and knowledge, not from institutions of faith. They believed that everyone was destined at birth for salvation or damnation, that nothing could change their fate. They also sought the right to worship without English interference. They strove to lead useful, conscientious ives of hard work.
How did the Virginia Company try to recruit new settlers?
They started the 'headright' system. Headrights were fifty acre grants of land, of which settlers could acquire one per person. This encouraged the migration of families. In addition, anyone who paid for the passage of other immigrants to Virginia could receive an additional headlight for each new arrival.
Who were the Puritans and what were their key beliefs?
They were a group that wanted to worship as they pleased in their own congregations. They rejected the proper religious roles of women, permitting women to serve as preachers in some sects. They wanted to simplify Anglican forms of worship, reduce the power of bishops, and wanted to reform the local clergy.
Maize cultivation
Transformed society/agriculture. Moved away from hunter/gatherer systems, and led to an increase in population. Helped hunt/gather nomads settle down and create permanent agricultural villages.
Describe the general characteristics of Indian tribal culture
Tribal culture is hugely diverse, making generalizations difficult. Before the arrival of the Europeans, Native Americans experienced an agricultural revolution. Because of this, they settled into more stationary societies. Elaborate social customs and rituals were developed due to their now sedentary lifestyles. Religion was tied in with the natural world, and they worshipped many gods associated with nature. Many tribes staged large festivals and created totems as part of religious ritual. Tasks were divided according to gender. Women cared for children, cooked, and gathered foods, but the allocation of other tasks varied from one society to another. While men hunted for long periods of time, women controlled the social and economic organization of settlements, and had powerful familial roles.
How did the Spanish rule in the New World?
Very strict. Colonists were not able to establish independent political institutions, and restrictive trade regulations stifled economic development. The Spanish also did not populate their settlements quickly, resulting in very small settlements.
White superiority
When the Spanish colonized the Americas, they had the power to subdue/patronize Natives. They declared themself superior because of the belief that they were 'civil' and natives were 'savage'
West Africa
Where Slave Trafficking was popular. Most slaves were taken from West Africa.
