Prehistory and the Spanish Flashcards
Bering Land Bridge
Archeologists believe that around 40,000 and 20,000 years ago tribes of hunter-gatherers crossed this land bridge which once connected Siberia with Alaska.
Cahokia
The largest urban concentration of Indians north of Mexico, in modern day St. Louis. 40,000 inhabitants until it was abandoned in 1400.
Pangaea
The supercontinent which existed millions of years ago, evidence of its existence includes identical fish specimen.
Canadian Shield
The first part of the North American landmass to emerge above sea level.
The Great Ice Age
Occured about 2 million years ago, it carpeted North America with glaciers. When they retreated 10,000 years ago, it had left the Northern United States rocky and had created the Mississippi River, the St. Lawrence, and Lake Bonneville.
The Aztecs
Resided in Mexico and practiced human sacrifice.
The Incas
Resided in Peru
conquistadors
Spanish explorers who came to the New World for God, in search of gold and glory.
Hernan Cortes
Spanish conquistador who defeated the Aztecs and conquered Mexico in 1519
Moctezuma
The Aztec leader who treated the Spanish as gods, until their greedy nature caused him to declare war on them.
Noche Triste
Sad Night, on June 30th, 1520 the Aztecs attacked the Spanish and on August 13th, 1521, the Spanish conquered the Aztecs.
St. Augustine
The location of a Floridian fortress built in 1565 by the Spanish to protect the sea lanes to the Caribbean.
Popé’s Rebellion
In 1680, Pueblo rebels killed scores of priests and Spanish settlers. It took half a century for the Spanish to gain control back over New Mexico.
The Black Legend
A false concept which held that the Spanish merely tortured and butchered the Indians, stole their gold, infected them with smallpox, and left little but misery behind.
Christian crusaders
Participants in The Holy Crusades, their trips to the Middle East sparked explorative interest.
