American Civilization Flashcards
why is there only six thousand years of recorded history?
because that is how old the world is
two worlds collided 500 years ago, what were those two worlds
the Old and New worlds
how did the Natives first get to North America?
by a land bridge called “Beringia” that connected Siberia and Alaska
what were the Nomadic hunters following when they crossed the land bridge?
they were following the migrating animals (food)
who were the last Natives to migrate and settle down?
the Inuits (Alaskan natives)
how many languages were there in North America by 1492
there were over 54 million natives and over 2000 languages
what crop changed the Nomadic lifestyle of the Natives?
maize (corn). they could finally settle down and grow their own food
what were the three largest civilizations?
- Inca - Peru
- Aztec - Mexico
- Mayans - Central America
what were the “three sister crops”?
beans, maize and squash
what were the two oldest groups in the USA
- the Anasazi - the “ancient ones”
2. the Mound Builders - Mississippians
5 Major groups (Regions) of Native Americans
- Northwest - Walla Walla, Nez Pierce
- totem pole (family history) - potlach (gift giving) - Southwest - Pueblo, Navaho, Apache
- Kachina (spirits) - Plains - Sioux, Cheyenne
- Mandela (spirit shield) - dream catchers - Eastern Woodland/Great Lakes - Iroquis, Mohican, Erie
- peace pipe (passport, treaty) - Matriarchal - Southeastern - Cherokee, Seminole
- corn festival
what the colonists left behind in Europe
royal authority, official religion, and social hierarchies
ideals the colonists cherished in the New World
individual liberty, self-government, religious tolerance and economic opportunity
what was the religion of the Native Americans? the one thing that they all shared
Animism - spirit worship (ancestors) + nature
the major deities of Animism
Great Spirit - universal god/being
Father Sky - Creator
Mother Earth - sustainer of life
name for the medical men/priests
shamans
who were the first Europeans to step foot on American soil?
the Vikings (Norse) - Leif Erikson
what four things sparked the Age of Exploration?
- Marco Polo’s travels - discovered exotic goods (spices, perfumes, tea, etc)
- Crusades - hope to restore the Holy Land to Christendom and spread Christianity
- Trade - open up new and less expensive trade routes
- the rise of absolute monarchs in Europe
who were the first explorers and who led them?
it was the Portuguese led by Henry the Navigator
two Portuguese explorers:
- Bartholomew Dias - first to go around Africa
2. Vasco de Gama - first to reach the Indies by going around Africa
Spain monarchs of the time
Ferdinand and Isabella
good things to come out of Christopher Columbus’ discovery
- greatest nation in history was created
- spread of Christianity
- opportunity for settlement
- world trade
- improved the standard of life for some
controversial side of Columbus’ discovery
- European diseases
- introduction of slave labor
- the Americas natural resources were exploited
three different continents were brought together that all supplied different things to the economic system. what were those things?
- Europe - provided markets and capital (money)
- Africa - labor force
- Americas - raw materials