Unit 1- 1491 - 1607 Flashcards
What characterized the organization of Native American cultures before European arrival?
Different cultures based on geographic location.
Name the three major civilizations in Central/South America before European contact.
- Aztecs (Mexica) * Mayas * Inca
What was the capital city of the Aztecs?
Tenochtitlán
What agricultural crop was vital to the civilizations of Central/South America?
Maize
Describe the Pueblo culture.
Sedentary maize farmers living in adobe and masonry homes.
What lifestyle characterized the Great Plains and Great Basin Native Americans?
Nomadic hunter-gatherers.
What was the population size of Cahokia?
10,000–30,000 people.
What were the main crops grown by the Iroquois?
- Maize * Squash * Beans
What motivated Europeans to explore the Americas in the 15th century?
Desire for luxury goods and political unification under strong monarchs.
Who was Prince Henry the Navigator?
He sought an Atlantic route to Asia and established a trading post empire.
What maritime technology was used to enhance exploration?
- Caravels * Astrolabe * Stern-post rudder
In what year did Christopher Columbus land in the Caribbean?
1492
What was the Columbian Exchange?
The transfer of food, animals, people, and diseases between Africa, Europe, and the Americas.
What crops were introduced from the Americas to Europe?
- Maize * Tomatoes * Potatoes * Cacao * Tobacco
What economic system began to emerge in Western Europe as a result of the Columbian Exchange?
Capitalism
What was the Encomienda System?
Spanish colonizers were granted land and native people for coerced labor.
What was the Casta System?
A social hierarchy based on race in colonial Spanish America.
What was a significant outcome of the Pueblo Revolt?
Natives killed 400 Spanish and temporarily expelled them.
Who was Bartolomé de las Casas?
A priest who argued against mistreating Natives and wanted to end the encomienda system.
Fill in the blank: The __________ was a system where Spanish colonizers were granted land and native people.
Encomienda System
True or False: The Spanish justified slavery by claiming Africans descended from Noah’s grandson Canaan.
True
What effect did the Columbian Exchange have on Native diets?
The introduction of pigs and cattle transformed their diets.
