American History: Puritans and Pilgrims

The exchange of goods, people, and diseases between the Americas and Europe following Christopher Columbus's voyages.

An economic theory that emphasizes the accumulation of wealth through trade and colonialism, aiming to create a favorable balance of trade for a nation.

A system of economic policies designed to benefit the colonizing nation by extracting raw materials and exploiting labor from its colonies.

The transfer of microbes, such as those causing chickenpox, measles, mumps, smallpox, and syphilis, from the Old World to the New World, resulting in devastating epidemics among native populations.

The process of incorporating new plants from the Americas into European societies, often for medicinal or recreational purposes.

The introduction of animals, like horses, from the Old World to the New World, significantly altering the way Native Americans hunted and traveled.

The negative impact of colonization on ecosystems due to the introduction of new organisms and diseases, leading to the displacement or extinction of native species.

The search for new medicinal plants by both colonists and Native Americans during the Columbian Exchange, highlighting the continued importance of plants in traditional healing practices.

The introduction of smallpox by the Spanish had a devastating impact on the native population, contributing significantly to the decline of their civilizations.

Malintzin, also known as La Malinche, played a pivotal role in the Spanish conquest of the Aztecs, acting as a translator and advisor to Hernán Cortés.

A mestizo is a person of mixed indigenous American and European ancestry. The first mestizo is believed to have been the son of Hernán Cortés and Malintzin.

Francisco Pizarro was a Spanish conquistador who led the conquest of the Inca Empire, capturing and executing their emperor, Atahualpa, in 1532. This event marked the beginning of Spanish rule over the Incan civilization.

Hernando de Soto was a Spanish explorer who led a major expedition to the southeastern United States from 1539 to 1542. Despite his exploration, he failed to find the gold and silver he sought, and his expedition resulted in the deaths of many native people due to disease and violence.

Francisco Vázquez de Coronado was a Spanish explorer who led an expedition in the 1540s to the southwestern United States. His exploration led to the discovery of the Grand Canyon and the Colorado River, but his search for gold and silver proved unsuccessful.

The Spanish conquistadors' exploration of North America, driven by their desire for wealth and power, had a devastating impact on the indigenous population, marked by disease, violence, and displacement, but also the introduction of new ideas and technologies.

The Virginia Company was a joint-stock company that received a charter from King James I to explore the New World. Their main goals were to find gold, a passage to the Indies, and surpass the Spanish in wealth and exploration.

The Virginia Company expedition originally envisioned a short-term venture focused on quickly accumulating wealth from gold mining. They expected to return to Europe enriched after just a few years.

Jamestown's location proved unsuitable for settlement due to its poor soil and mosquito-infested environment. These factors contributed to a high death rate among the early colonists.

Many colonists were inexperienced in basic survival skills and primarily focused on finding gold. Their lack of farming expertise resulted in a scarcity of food, worsening the already difficult situation.

The harsh winter of 1609-1610 saw the Jamestown colonists suffer extreme hunger, resorting to cannibalism and vermin consumption. This period, known as the 'Starving Time,' highlighted the desperate conditions they endured.

John Smith, a leader in Jamestown, played a vital role in negotiating with the Powhatan tribe. His interactions with Pocahontas, the daughter of the tribal leader, helped to maintain peace during the early years of settlement.

The English settlers, primarily men, were adventurers seeking wealth and glory. Their focus on individual gain and lack of family formation contributed to the challenges faced by the colony.

The colonists' interactions with the Powhatan tribe often involved conflict and exploitation. The settlers depleted the tribe's food supplies and faced retaliation, highlighting the tension between the two groups.

A group of English Protestants who wanted to purify the Church of England, believing it was too Catholic. They emphasized simple worship, a strong moral life, and greater focus on the Bible.

A group of radical Puritans who sought complete separation from the Church of England and formed their own congregations.

A document signed by 41 men aboard the Mayflower, establishing a government based on self-governance and community.

The governor of Plymouth Colony, a Separatist who played a key role in the Mayflower Compact and early colonial governance.

The belief system of Puritans, emphasizing a strict moral code, focused on the Bible, and a desire to create a reformed Protestant society.

Puritans believed that the King needed to be less powerful, and society should be ruled by religious principles rather than by the crown.

The conflict between the Puritans and the English monarchy, fueled by differences in religious and political beliefs.

The English government's attempts to control the religious practices of colonists in America, leading to tensions and resistance.

An agreement where a person worked for a set period of time, usually for a land grant and tools, in exchange for passage to the New World.

A system where colonial authorities awarded land grants to individuals who brought settlers to the colony, creating incentives for immigration.

A system of political governance established in Virginia in 1619, marking a pivotal moment in the development of representative government in the New World.

A rebellion led by Nathaniel Bacon in 1676 that challenged the authority of the colonial government contributing to the shift towards enslaved labor in Virginia.

The practice of cultivating tobacco, a labor-intensive crop that rapidly depletes the soil, creating a constant demand for new land.

The transition from indentured servitude to slavery as the primary form of labor in Virginia during the 17th century, driven by factors such as the need for cheap labor and changing social and economic conditions.

The lack of political rights for white indentured servants, black slaves, and free black people in colonial Virginia, highlighting the limited democratic principles in the early colonial period.

The economic and social factors that contributed to the transition from a reliance on indentured servitude to a more prominent use of enslaved labor in Virginia.

European traders desired animal skins, especially beaver furs in the North and deerskins in the South, as valuable commodities.

Native American groups fiercely competed for access to European trading partners, seeking to prevent their enemies from obtaining valuable goods like guns.

European colonists discovered that trading with certain Native American groups made them enemies of others, forcing them to choose sides in existing rivalries.

The insatiable European demand for beaver furs led to overhunting, pushing the species towards extinction. This also created conflict among Native Americans as their hunting grounds overlapped.

European diseases, such as smallpox, decimated Native American communities, leading to mourning wars and raids to capture replacements for lost members.

In the 1700s, both Europeans and Native Americans engaged in capturing and selling their enemies as slaves to the West Indies, turning warfare into a lucrative enterprise.

The Navigation Acts, passed by the British Parliament, aimed to control trade between Britain and its colonies, ensuring that the most valuable colonial goods were shipped on British vessels and sold in British ports to benefit the British crown and merchants.

While the Navigation Acts were intended to benefit Britain, they also spurred mercantilist growth in the American colonies, as they benefited from the trade regulations by using British ships and selling goods in British markets.