Unit 1 and 2 Native Societies, and European Exploration Flashcards
Learn and understand the complexity behind indigenous societies, and how European Exploration affected them and America today. (37 cards)
What did native populations in North America develop as they migrated and settled?
Distinct and increasingly complex societies
They adapted to and transformed their diverse environments.
What characterized the Incas?
Complex administrative system, large network of paved roads, single government
Population peaked under Emperor Huayna Cupac in 1500, located in Peru.
What was the peak population of the Aztecs around 1500?
5 million
They had a large city called Tenochtitlan.
What were major aspects of Aztec society?
Trade and agriculture, especially maize (corn)
The Mexica religion involved human sacrifices to satisfy the Gods.
Where were the Mississipian cultures located?
Along the Mississippi river
They participated in large trade networks, with Cahokia as a major trading center.
What was the economic focus of the Mississipians?
Agriculture
They were ruled by a chiefdom with institutionalized social stratification.
What type of society did the Iroquois have?
Agricultural economy centered around fishing, hunting, and gathering
They lived in multi-family longhouses and had matrilineal tribes.
What was the Five Nation Confederacy?
Loose governing council of surrounding tribes
It represented the Iroquois Confederacy.
What agricultural techniques did the Pueblo people use?
Advanced irrigation techniques
They developed three sister farming: corn, squash, and beans.
What was the primary food source for Great Plain Natives?
Buffalo
They lived in buffalo skin teepees and had a pastoral economy based on hunting and gathering.
What were the key takeaways regarding Native American societies?
Regional differences, divisions, and conflicts were fostered by geographical differences
Environmental factors shaped their lives and societies.
What is the Columbian Exchange?
Movement of plants, animals, disease, knowledge, and culture between the Old World and New World
This occurred after 1492.
What crops were introduced from the Americas to Europe?
Tobacco, potatoes, cacao, maize, pumpkins, tomatoes, and syphilis
These were significant in the Columbian Exchange.
What did Europe contribute to the Columbian Exchange?
Livestock, grains, turnips, smallpox, influenza, measles
These items had a profound impact on the Americas.
What did Africa contribute to the Columbian Exchange?
Bananas, coconuts, sugar, rice, yellow fever, honeybee, malaria
These items also influenced the societies in the Americas.
What improvements in maritime technology occurred during this period?
Caravel, sextant, astrolabe, magnetic compass
These advancements facilitated exploration.
What are Joint Stock Companies?
Businesses where shares of a company’s stock could be bought and sold by shareholders
They led to more organized methods of conducting international trade.
What is mercantilism?
Economic theory that a positive balance of trade would bring wealth and power to a nation
This theory dominated Europe in the 16th-18th centuries.
What was the impact of the Columbian Exchange on Europe?
Beneficial, provided new nutrient-packed foods and stimulated economic growth
It contributed to the shift from feudalism to capitalism.
What was the impact of the Columbian Exchange on America?
Spread of diseases like measles and smallpox, decimating native populations
However, new livestock diversified native societies.
What was the impact of the Columbian Exchange on Africa?
Establishment of African slavery due to lack of native labor
This was a consequence of epidemics in the Americas.
What was Europe like before the 16th century? And after?
Europe in the Middle Ages (500-1500): Weak, divided, and decentralized
16th Century: Nations actively began consolidating national power, creating a sense of national identity
Who was the main beacon of power in the start of the 16th century?
Pope and Catholic Church remained beacon of power in Europe.
1517
Protestant Reformation (remember Martin Luther and his 95 theses).
