Period 1 + 2 (1491-1754)

Question 1

Aztec Empire

Answer 1

A powerful empire in Mexico, its largest city Tenochtitlan had a population of 200,000
Had a large food supply of maize
The abundance of food from corn led to the densely populated cities, which then led to a more sophisticated society that had extensive trade and developments in agriculture and other technologies.

Question 2

Inca Empire

Answer 2

Empire in Peru
Had a large food supply of potatoes
The abundance of food from potatoes also led to a more dense population in Peru; this empire had advancements in agricultural technology with terraced farms and had extensive trade on the carpa nan

Question 3

King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella

Answer 3

The rulers of the two largest Christian kingdoms in Spain who married and united Spain, the same year they funded Chistopher Columbus’s exploration
The rulers of Spain had a great impact because they funded Columbus’s journey to the Americas which kickstarted trade, exploration, and the founding of colonies in the Americas.

Question 4

Spanish motivations for exploration

Answer 4

The Spanish wanted to expand trade and find quicker routes over sea to Asia. This was also partially a religious motivation as the Catholic Spanish did not want to trade with Asia through the Ottomans
The Spanish’s economic motivations led to the development of plantations and mines in South America.

Question 5

Spanish treatment and policies toward natives

Answer 5

Encomedia was a forced labor system which kept natives in serfdom
However the New Laws began to end this
The Spanish controlled natives through forced labor, however their status and treatment was heavily debated

Question 6

Christopher Columbus

Answer 6

An explorer from Genoa, Italy, who was commissioned by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain to the “Indies”
When he first reached land on the other side of the ocean, he thought that he had reached a path to China and India, but three more explorations bought nothing
His exploration brought awareness of the Americas back to Spain and the rest of Europe, which then led to more explorations and eventually the conquering of South America by the Spanish. While some critique his explorations and others praise him, most historians agree that Columbus’s voyage took world history in a new direction.

Question 7

Columbian Exchange

Answer 7

The transfer of animals, plants, and even germs/diseases between the Americas and Europe
This was the first trade between the two
This trade had many impacts on both Europeans and Native Americans; Europeans gained new crops such as corn, beans, potatoes, tomatoes, and tobacco, which completely transformed diets in Afro-Eurasia, and caused rapid population growth
Native Americans were also introduced to sugar cane, bluegrasses, pigs, horses, the wheel, iron implements, and guns. However, Native Americans had no immunity to the diseases like smallpox and measles that the Europeans brought, causing the native population to decrease rapidly.

Question 8

Treaty of Tordesillas

Answer 8

Spain and Portugal’s claims in South America overlapped so the rulers of both went to the pope to settle their differences
The Treaty established Portugal’s rule over Brazil and Spain’s rule over the rest of the Americas
This treaty established clear boundaries between Portuguese and Spanish territory, which influenced South America culturally through language and through history.

Question 9

Hernan Cortez

Answer 9

Conquered the Aztecs in Mexico, establishing Spanish rule in the region
Sent gold and silver found in Mexico back to Spain, therefore increasing Spain’s wealth and power

Question 10

Francisco Pizarro

Answer 10

Conquered the Inca in Peru, establishing Spanish rule
Sent gold and silver from Peru to Spain, increasing its wealth and power, and making it the richest nation in Europe. This encouraged Spain to send more explorers to conquer more of the Americas

Question 11

Encomienda System

Answer 11

The system used by the Spanish to control Native Americans; the native Americans living on one piece of land were given to a Spanaird who built plantations there. They were forced to work on plantations and in mines
This system was very harsh and often put Native Americans in terrible conditions, killing many, and it also increased the amount of goods going out of the Americas and to Spain.

Question 12

Asiento System

Answer 12

Required colonists to pay a tax to the Spanish king for every enslaved person imported into the Americas
This system brought Africans to the Americas for the first time, and inspired other Europeans to do the same as they established colonies, eventually developing the slave trade

Question 13

Bartolome de Las Casas

Answer 13

A Spanish priest who advocated for better treatment of native Americans and the creation of New Laws of 1542, which began to end the encomienda system
The New Laws of 1542 ended the enslavement of Native Americans, and began to end the encomienda system, however the king was pushed to repeal parts of the laws

Question 14

Valladolid Debate

Answer 14

A formal debate between Las Casas and Sepulveda over the rights of Native Americans
Although Las Casas did not achieve equal rights for Native Americans, he established an argument for justice for Native Americans

Question 15

Juan Gines de Sepulveda

Answer 15

Another Spanish priest who argued that Native Americans were less than human
This idea kept all parts of the New Laws from happening

Question 16

Pope’s Revolt

Answer 16

AKA the Pueblo Rebellion; indigenous Pueblo communities revolted against Spanish colonization
The revolt ended in the Spanish being pushed from the New Mexico region and indigenous self governance until 1692
However the Spanish regained control in 1692, but ruled less harshly and with greater stability

Question 17

French motivations for exploration

Answer 17

The French hoped to discover the Northwest Passage across North America to Asia
While the northwest passage does not exist, the French instead started to trade for furs with indigenous people in Canada and the US

Question 18

English motivations for exploration

Answer 18

The English wanted to challenge Spanish trade and often attacked ships off the coast of Peru, then later explorers began to travel further north and tried to settle
This led to larger settlements and towns being developed in North America, rather than just trading posts like the French established

Question 19

English treatment and policies towards natives

Answer 19

Settled in areas with no large empires of Natives, diseases had already killed many natives, and many english colonists came with families so marriage with natives was uncommon
Initially the English traded with natives, but this soon turned to conflict as the English viewed natives as savages and natives felt threatened by the English seizing more land
The English occupied land and pushed small tribes from the coast to inland areas, instead of trying to control or rule the natives, the English expelled them

Question 20

French policies and treatment toward natives

Answer 20

The French sought to dominate the fur trade and viewed natives as economic allies, and established trading posts instead of colonies
Because the French did not pose a threat to native groups, they maintained good relations with those that they encountered

Question 21

Chief Powhatan

Answer 21

The father of Pocahontas
He facilitated the marriage between Pocahontas and Rolfe, and taught Rolfe how to grow tobacco

Question 22

Pocahontas

Answer 22

The native wife of John Rolfe, a citizen of Jamestown
Through her and Rolfe’s efforts, Jamestown began to grow tobacco which became popular in Europe and was profitable for the colony, allowing it to survive

Question 23

Powhatan Confederation

Answer 23

An alliance formed between multiple native tribes in Virginia
This alliance was formed to protect their land from growing European colonies

Question 24

King Philip’s War

Answer 24

AKA Metacom’s War, a Wampanoag chief known to the colonists as King Philip united many tribes in southern New England against encroaching colonists; however some tribes fought on the side of the colonists because of rivalry with the Wampanoag
The colonial forces killed Metacom and ended most Native American resistance in New England

Question 25

Iroquois Federation

Answer 25

An alliance between native tribes in the Great Lakes region
This was also an alliance to protect their land from Europeans

Question 26

Triangular Trade

Answer 26

A three part trade that connected North America, Africa, and Europe
Ships would leave New England with rum, then travel to West Africa and trade the rum for enslaved Africans
Then they would cross the Middle Passage, then those who survived were traded in the West Indies for sugarcane
Then the sugarcane would go to New England to be made into rum
The triangular trade made many merchants wealthy, however it enslaved many Africans and many died on the middle passage

Question 27

Middle Passage

Answer 27

The voyage across the Atlantic from Africa to the West Indies in the Triangular trade
The voyage was incredibly dangerous, between 10-15% died on the journey

Question 28

Olaudah Equiano (AKA Gustavus Vassa)

Answer 28

Was an enslaved man from West Africa who then purchased his freedom and traveled the world
He condemned the belief that Africans were inferior to Europeans

Question 29

Phillis Wheatley & her poem, “On Being Brought from Africa to America”

Answer 29

Wheatley was born in West Africa; she was enslaved and living in Boston when she published a collection of her poems in 1773
Soon after publishing her book, Wheatley was freed
Her work is noteworthy for its triumph over slavery and its quality

Question 30

Slave Laws 1600s & 1700s

Answer 30

Massachusetts was the first to recognize the enslavement of “lawful” captives in 1641
Virginia in 1661 enacted a law that children would inherit their mother’s enslaved status
In 1664 the law that people baptized as Christians was overturned
Slave laws such as these made racism and slavery integral parts of colonial society

Question 31

Jemmy and the Stono Rebellion

Answer 31

A slave rebellion led by Jemmy in Charleston SC
Resulted in the Negro Act being passed; slaves were no longer able to grow their own food, assemble in groups, earn their own money, or learn how to read

Question 32

Status of Enslaved People in New England

Answer 32

Had the least amount of enslaved people as small farmers had little need for additional workers
While there were not many enslaved people in New England, colonial law discriminated against African Americans and barred them from voting

Question 33

Status of Enslaved People in the Middle Colonies

Answer 33

Had more enslaved people who worked unloading and loading ships, and as sailors
Again there were many laws that discriminated against African Americans and most saw them as inferior to Europeans

Question 34

Status of Enslaved People in Chesapeake & Southern Colonies

Answer 34

Almost two-thirds to a half of the population were enslaved African Americans
Had the lowest status, were seen as inferior and this became a part of colonial society

Question 35

Jamestown- Purpose of Settlement

Answer 35

A corporate colony owned by a joint-stock company (the Virginia Company) to build a settlement, find gold, and find a water route to Asia
The colonists in Jamestown were not well equipped to hunt and farm, this along with diseases such as dysentery and malaria, killed many. However the colony survived but was turned into a royal colony under the rule of king James I instead of the Virginia company.

Question 36

Joint Stock Company

Answer 36

Joint stock companies had multiple investors paying for an exploration or trip across the ocean
This allowed for single investors to take less of a risk and facilitated explorations to the Americas

Question 37

John Smith’s Impact

Answer 37

The leader of Jamestown
His leadership led to the survival of Jamestown in its first five years

Question 38

Indentured Servitude

Answer 38

A person who’s passage to North America is paid for by an employer in exchange for a certain amount of years of labor
This was used to get labor for plantations and farms in the new British colonies, but soon proved to not be enough labor and this led to the use of slavery

Question 39

Headright System

Answer 39

Virginia provided 50 acres of land to settlers that paid for passage of a settler to the colony
This helped some Europeans settle in Virginia, but mostly aided landowners who paid for indentured servants to cross and added to their holdings

Question 40

Introduction of Slavery

Answer 40

With more labor being needed on farms and plantations, the British colonists followed Spain and began to use slavery
This eventually led to the wide-spread use of slavery and added to the diversity of the colonies

Question 41

Bacon’s Rebellion

Answer 41

Nathaniel Bacon led a rebellion against Sir William Berkley’s government
Bacon and many others had resented Berkley and large plantation owners’ control
In 1676 he raised an army and attacked many native villages on the frontier
Bacon’s army defeated the governor’s forces and burned Jamestown, but after Bacon died of dysentery and the army collapsed
Although the rebellion was not successful it highlighted many long-lasting disputes in many colonies:
Sharp class differences between wealthy and poor farmers
Conflict between settlers and native americans
Colonial resistance against royal control

Question 42

Virginia House of Burgess

Answer 42

A representative assembly in Virginia, created by the Virginia Company (1619)
It was the first representative assembly in the colonies and was dominated by elite planters

Question 43

Colonial Maryland and George Calvert

Answer 43

King Charles I broke off part of Virginia to be Maryland. He gave it to George Calvert (Lord Baltimore) , a Catholic noble.
Maryland was the first proprietary colony, a colony granted to individuals by the king. The proprietors were expected to carry out the wishes of the king, thereby giving him control.

Question 44

Act of Toleration

Answer 44

Cecil Calvert set about turning Maryland into a haven for Catholics, but they were outnumbered by Protestant farmers. Calvert convinced the assembly to adopt the Act of Toleration in 1649.
The act was the first statute in the colonies to grant religious freedoms to all Christians. However the act also condemned those who denied the divinity of Jesus to death.

Question 45

Protestant Revolt

Answer 45

In the 1600s (in Maryland) Protestants were angered by being ruled by a Catholic proprietor, and started a civil war.
Protestants won, repealed the Act of Toleration, and Catholics lost the right to vote in assembly elections

Question 46

Georgia - The Last Colony

Answer 46

The only colony to receive direct financial support from the British government
Founded in 1732
It was created as a buffer between South Carolina and Spanish Florida, and was used to send those who were imprisoned for debt to relieve overcrowding and allow them to start a new life
James Oglethorpe planned on creating a thriving colony, with restrictions on drinking rum and slavery, but because of constant threat of an attack, the colony did not thrive
It then became a royal colony, Oglethorpe’s restrictions were dropped, and the colony grew and adopted the plantation system

Question 47

Economic Life in the Southern Colonies

Answer 47

Some were small subsistence farms
The southern colonies also had very large plantations of over 2,000 acres, growing tobacco, timber, tar, and pitch
These plantations used enslaved labor, and were self sufficient
They were built on rivers and had a lot of trade with Europe

Question 48

Role of Women in the Southern Colonies

Answer 48

Women had many roles, including taking care of children, educating them, cleaning, and more
While in the Middle colonies, women who worked on farms and in shops had more role in decision making, while women in the southern colonies, where enslaved laborers were often used, did not have this protection

Question 49

The Dutch in Colonial America - Peter Stuyvesant

Answer 49

Former governor of the Dutch colony in New Amsterdam
James II sent forces that took the colony and renamed it New York, but allowed the Dutch to worship freely and speak their own language

Question 50

Edmund Andros - The Dominion of New England

Answer 50

James II wanted to increase royal control over the colonies so he combined them into larger units such as NewYork, New Jersey, and New England colonies into the Dominion of New England under Edmund Andros
These policies got rid of administrative assemblies in colonies.
Andros was very unpopular because he issued new taxes, limiting town meetings, and revoking land titles

Question 51

Impact of the Glorious Revolution on Colonies

Answer 51

The Glorious Revolution ended James II’s rule, replacing him with William and Mary
This ended the dominion of New England and colonies were under separate charters again

Question 52

Trial of John Peter Zenger

Answer 52

According to English law it was illegal for the press (or anyone) to criticize the governor
John Peter Zenger was a publisher in New York who was tried for criticizing the governor
His lawyer (Andrew Hamilton) argued that he was printing the truth
The jury found him not guilty, encouraging newspapers to criticize the government

Question 53

William Penn’s “Holy Experiment”

Answer 53

William Penn was a Quaker and he wanted to make his colony a refuge for Quakers and other persecuted groups
He did this by enacting a series of liberal laws, including a Frame of Government (1682-1683) which guaranteed a representative assembly of elected landowners and a constitution, and the Charter of Liberties (1702) which guaranteed freedom of worship for all and unrestricted immigration

Question 54

Penn’s Plan of Union

Answer 54

A plan for how the northern colonies may be more useful to the crown; planned to have meetings between representatives from the colonies
It was one of the earliest proposals for a unified government in the colonies

Question 55

Economy of the Middle Colonies

Answer 55

Produced a lot of wheat and corn, making larger farms more common
Often indentured servants and hired laborers worked with families on farms
Some manufacturing developed, including iron making
The Middle Colonies had a lot of trade with the West Indies and Europe because of the exportation of wheat and corn
Larger cities developed because of manufacturing

Question 56

Mercantilism: The Role of the Mother Country vs. Colonies

Answer 56

Mercantilism is the economic theory that a country’s wealth was determined by how much more is exported than imported
Colonies existed to enrich the mother country by providing raw materials
France and Spain always used mercantilism but England began after the English Civil War in 1651
Mercantilism forced colonies to trade only with Great Britain, selling goods at low prices and buying manufactured goods at high prices

Question 57

Navigation Acts

Answer 57

Acts used to enforce mercantilism
Trade to and from colonies could only be done on English or colonial built ships, and by colonial or English crews
All goods imported to the colonies had to go through English ports
“Enumerated” goods (such as tobacco) could only be exported to England
The acts were both good and bad: they helped New England shipbuilding, gave Chesapeake tobacco a monopoly in England, and provided English military to protect the colonies from the French and Spanish
They also limited economic development in the colonies

Question 58

Salutary Neglect

Answer 58

An English policy of being very lax on enforcing trade policies
Enforcement was difficult because of distance, constant turmoil (English Civil War and four wars with France), and corruption
England and the colonies still remained close trading partners

Question 59

Impact of Benjamin Franklin

Answer 59

The most popular writer in the colonies, wrote advice and observations in the Poor Richard’s Almanack
This also shows the early growth of American literature
Franklin was also a scientist who worked with electricity and developed bifocal glasses and the Franklin stove

Question 60

Role of Women in Middle Colonies

Answer 60

Colonial women cooked, cleaned, made clothes, provided medical care, and educated children
Worked next to their husbands in shops or on plantations/farms
Divorce was legal but rare, and women had little legal or political rights
Shared labors and mutual dependence with their husbands gave most women protection from abuse and an active role in decision making

Question 61

Plymouth Colony - William Bradford

Answer 61

Governor of the Plymouth Colony
Was a strong leader and helped the colony to grow

Question 62

Mayflower Compact

Answer 62

The pilgrims wrote and signed this document aboard the Mayflower, promising to make decisions by the will of the majority
It was an early form of self governance and a written constitution
In New England communities held town meetings to debate local decisions and elect representatives for colonial legislatures

Question 63

Massachusetts Bay Colony

Answer 63

Multiple settlements is Massachusetts established by dissenters known as Puritans; when their persecution increased under King Charles I they formed to Massachusetts Bay Company
This company founded the city of Boston, instead of plantations these settlements were made of small towns and farms

Question 64

John Winthrop - “Model of Christian Charity”

Answer 64

John Winthrop was a minister and governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, he led the Puritans from religious persecution to the colonies
With this speech that he gave on the boat he hoped to outline principles for a godly society that would be an example for a reformed England and world

Question 65

Great Migration

Answer 65

In the 1630s religious and political conflict in England led to a mass movement known as the Great Migration
This movement brought about 15,000 settlers to the Massachusetts bay colony

Question 66

Roger Williams - Establishing Providence Plantation

Answer 66

Williams moved to Boston from England, but his teachings created conflict between him and other Puritan leaders, leading to his banishment. He then created the community of Providence.
Williams started one of the first Baptist churches in America. His colony also allowed Catholics, Quakers, and Jews to worship freely, and recognized the rights of Native Americans, paying them for use of their land.
In 1644 Williams received a charter that joined Providence and Portsmouth into one colony, Rhode Island

Question 67

Anne Hutchinson - Antinomianism

Answer 67

Antinomianism is the belief that individuals receive salvation through their faith alone and do not need to follow traditional moral laws
Hutchinson was banished from the Bay colony
Her and her followers founded Portsmouth in 1638
A few years later she migrated to Long Island and was killed in a native American uprising

Question 68

Fundamental Orders of Connecticut

Answer 68

The first written constitution in American history
Written by Thomas Hooker and the Hartford settlers
It established a representative government with a legislature elected by popular vote and a governor that was chosen by the legislature

Question 69

Half-way Covenant

Answer 69

To be a full member of the Puritan church one needed to have a confirmed religious experience, called a conversion
To maintain church influence a half-way covenant was used by some clergy, offering partial membership to those who had not felt a conversion
This is one representation of weakening Puritan practices in New England
Puritan practices continued to decline in order to maintain church membership

Question 70

New England Confederation

Answer 70

The confederation had two representatives from each colony and had limited powers in boundary disputes, the return of runaway servants, and dealing with Native Americans
While this group only lasted 40 years (1643-1684) it set an important precedent for colonies taking unified action on a common goal

Question 71

Salem Witch Trials

Answer 71

A series of hearings and executions in Massachusetts for women accused of witchcraft
Resulted in the execution of at least 20 women

Question 72

The Great Awakening - Jonathan Edwards

Answer 72

A sweep of intensity of religious feeling in New England
Johnathan Edwards was the most famous reverend of the movement; his sermon “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” presented a god that was angry at human sinfulness and individuals needed to deeply repent to be saved and those who did not would suffer eternal damnation
The Great Awakening changed religious practice; emotionalism became more common in services, causing a split in some denominations between supporters (“New Lights”) and opponents (“Old Lights”), ministers lost authority, and more began to call for separation of church and state
The Great Awakening was the first common experience that colonists shared as Americans, and it changed the way people viewed authority, which would later challenge the authority of kings

Question 73

Economic Life in New England

Answer 73

Most people practiced subsistence farming, due to rocky soil
Others made money from logging, ship-building, fishing, trading, and rum-distilling
Trades such as shipbuilding and rum distilling made New England and important stop in the Triangular trade

Question 74

Impact of Smuggling

Answer 74

England revoked the Massachusetts Bay charter because it was a center for smuggling
The efforts did not work, colonists resisted them and smuggled goods from other countries

Question 75

John Copley and Benjamin West - Significance of Portraits

Answer 75

Most colonial painters traveled to paint portraits of families
These two painters went to England and established themselves as prominent artists, showing the growth of American culture