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HIST 121 -- Colonial America
Important terms for the first exam: The questions on the exam will be based on these people, events and concepts. I
will discuss all of these in class, so if you pay attention and take good notes, you should do well on the exam.
Marco Polo – 14th century explorer, whose account of China stimulated European interest in reviving ties to Asia
Leif Erickson – Viking explorer who established a settlement on Newfoundland, may have explored further west
Christopher Columbus – Italian sailor who wanted to reach Asia by sailing west across Atlantic; by miscalculating size of
earth he ‘discovered’ American continents
Americus Vespucci – Italian sailor whose book on American voyages (that may have been lies) led to western continents
being named “America”
“Little Ice Age” – a term for the period of colder-than usual weather that affected the world, roughly from 1550-1850, with
particularly cold stretches in the 1650s and 1770s. This had great impact of settlement in America, on economic
developments worldwide and on colonial-European relations.
Mercantilism – economic-government concept that colonies should improve the economy of home kingdom; tied to why
monarchs refused to invest heavily in exploration or colonies
“Encomiendas” – Spanish government policy of giving their colonial viceroys the power to command all “services” of the
inhabitants of their territories – many viceroys used this power to enslave the Native Americans.
Bartolome de Las Casas – Spanish missionary who tried to defend Native Americans from Spanish oppression by arguing
they had souls and were “God’s children”
Aztec and Inca empires – most powerful Native American empires in the “Americas,” with the rulers attaining enormous
wealth. The Aztecs practiced slavery and human sacrifice
Mississippian Culture – mound-building Native-American culture in “North America” that reached its height in 1300s and
then declined; Spanish encountered remnants in 1500s
St. Augustine – colony established by Spanish in Florida peninsula in late 1500s, more to counter French Protestant
influence in area than to further Spanish interests in region
Meti – a French-Native term for people who were a mixture of French and native-American ancestry; Meti practiced a
mixture of Christianity and Native beliefs, acted as middlemen (and Middle-women) in the fur trade
John Cabot – another Italian-born sailor, his exploration of the coast established the English claim to North America
Walter Raleigh – English promoter of exploration and colony development, part of earliest attempts to establish a
permanent English settlement in North America
Richard Hakluyt – English promoter of colonies and collector of exploration/ settlement accounts
Enclosure – a legal practice that allowed larger land holders in England to enlarge their lands by ‘fencing off ‘common
lands used by smaller farmers. Unable to use this land, many of these small farmers went to the colonies.
Virginia Company – joint stock company created to explorer and settle areas of the Chesapeake River region (today
Virginia)
Massachusetts Bay Company – another company established to promote the settlement of the Massachusetts Bay region
Plymouth Company – extension of Virginia Company that established Plymouth Colony
Mayflower Compact – a rather limited agreement signed by the heads of families of the Plymouth Colony, the group
agreeing to act together in decisions for the colony
Puritans – English Protestants who believed in “predestination” doctrine and played key role in settling the colonies of
Massachusetts and Connecticut; intolerant of others
John Winthrop – leader of the Puritan settlement of Boston, his rules set the pattern for its customs (and conflicts)
Roanoke – an early attempt to create a colony that failed, with all its inhabitants disappearing entirely
Tobacco – vital crop for the success of the Jamestown colony, as it sold very well in Europe
Cultural baggage – a term meaning that those who immigrated to American brought their European cultural values and
ideas with them, then had to adjust these ideas to the new environment
Cultural conflict – often the cause of violence between European and Native Americans, when neither could really
understand why the other did or believed something (or rejected it as “unimportant”)
Cultural exchange – term used for those interactions in which colonists adapted native ways (example: English learn to
cultivate tobacco, pumpkins, squash, corn (maize) and beans)
Roger Williams – his unwillingness to accept the Church-State rules of Puritan communities led to his creating the new
colony of Rhode Island, where church and state were separated
Pequot War – conflict between Pequot Indians and Massachusetts which ended in the effective extermination of the
Pequot band
Bacon’s Rebellion – a 17th century attempt by a group of citizens to overthrow the legal government of Virginia
King Philip’s war – conflict in 1670s between Native-American bands led by Metacomet (King Philip to English) who
tried to united many New England bands to prevent English expansion
William Penn – Quaker leader who played key role in establishing Pennsylvania Colony
James Oglethorpe – Leader in establishment of Georgia Colony in 1700s, which at first prohibited the practice of slavery
Blue Laws – laws designed to legislate morality; the earliest Connecticut blue laws included a provision that a son or
daughter could be executed for disrespect of parents
Types of colonial governments – Royal (King chose government), Proprietary (corporation or nobelman chose governor),
Charter (voters chose governor)
Indentured servitude – one method of finding labor for colonies, in which a person agreed (by contract) to perform labor
for a number of years in return for passage to America. Slavery tended to grow as indentures declined.
Triangular Trade – a trade pattern by New England merchant sailors, selling rum in Africa, importing slaves to Caribbean
“sugar islands,” and returning to New England with sugar (to make more rum)
William Penn – Quaker leader who played key role in establishing Pennsylvania Colony.
Quakers – Protestant religious group whose concept of “inner light” was not well received by other American churches.
Northwest Passage – Term for the ongoing search for a water route to the Pacific – as late as the French and Indian War,
British explorers looked for such a route, and Lewis and Clark pursued the possibility in 1805-6.
William Byrd – Virginia plantation owner whose detailed diary provides a detailed look at plantation life in early 1700s.
Rice and Indigo – While tobacco was the first major crop in the southern colonies of North America, the cultivation of rice
and indigo (dyes) became very important in the Carolinas and Georgia, furthering the spread of slavery.
“Middle Passage” – Term to denote the sea voyage of Black slaves from Africa to the New World, in conditions so harsh
that up to fifty percent died on some of the ships.
Black Codes – Term used for laws passed by colonies from late 1600s on to reinforce both slavery and segregation –
outlawing marriage between Africans and whites, limiting the rights of free Africans, etc.
“Praying Indians” – Term for Native American who had converted to Christianity and lived in special communities that
combined missionary work and education – later denounced for attempting to destroy Native American culture.
Great Awakening – Era in the 1730s and 1740s when a major religious revival swept through the colonies – played a role
in uniting various ethnic Europeans into “Americans.”
The Restoration – Period after 1660, following the return of the monarchy in England, during which the administration of
the English colonies became much more formal and organized.
The Board of Trade – Royal office established in 1696 to make recommendations concerning the regulation of British
imports and exports, and the organization and administration of the colonies.
Navigation Acts – Laws passed by the English parliament to regulate trade in the empire, including what could (and could
not) be shipped on certain kinds of ships, was taxes would be collected, etc. Smugglers were often violating these laws.
Bacon’s Rebellion – Brief upheaval in Virginia colony in 1676 when colonists, upset over the royal governor’s friendly
treatment of several Native American bands, tried to overthrow the colonial government.
“Salutary Neglect” – Term (meaning a neglect that is good) used for the period of (roughly) 1713-1763 when
administrators of the monarchy prevented the Board of Trade from exerting tight control of the colonies. When the Board
regained tighter control after 1963, relations between the colonies and England rapidly grew worse.
Benjamin Franklin – Easily the most important colonist of the 1700s, this newspaperman, politician, inventor, and writer
was one of the first to recognize that the colonies were creating a “new man” – the American.
Peter Zenger – Newspaper publisher in Pennsylvania whose trail for sedition in 1735 increased the power of the juries in
trails and also influenced the development of the “free speech” concept.
John Locke – British philosopher who argued that humans created governments by yielding up part of the their “natural
rights” to select someone of govern over them. He also argued that if the governor became a tyrant, then the members of
society had a natural right to revolt and remove the tyrant. Locke’s ideas are to employed in the Revolution.
Ohio River Valley – As British colonists begin to push into this region, west of the Appalachian Mountains, they come
into greater conflict with western Native-Americans – and their French allies.
Edward Braddock – British officer who commanded troops in Ohio region and was badly defeated by French troops with
Indian allies. His unwillingness to understand colonial style of warfare hints at further trouble with the colonists.
“Fort Necessity” -- Name given to the temporary defensive works of British-colonial troops after defeat of Braddock.
George Washington’s presence here, and his role in the battle, will make him famous across the colonies.
French and Indian War – The last in the series of wars between France and England, the defeat of France costs them their
empire in Canada, and the vastly enlarged British empire will affect the problems in the colonies.
Robert Rogers – British leader of colonial troops in battles against the Indian allies of the French. In addition to his
interest in the search for a “Northwest Passage” Rogers will be remembered for his wish to “exterminate” Native
Americans.
Treaty of Paris (1763) -- The treaty that ended the French and Indian War, leaving England in control of all of North
America.
“Writs of Assistance” – These writs were legal orders that allowed customs agents to search homes for evidence of
smuggling. Many American lawyers argued that these writs violated the rights of the colonists.
Line of Proclamation (1763) -- This artificial line on the heights of the Appalachian Mountains was drawn to reassure the
Indians: no colonial settlers could establish homes or farms west of the line. This infuriated many colonists.
Quebec Colony Proclamation – This ordered the creation of a new colony, which was all the former French settlements in
the St. Lawrence Valley and the Great Lakes region. Because the Proclamation that established this colony also reassured
the inhabitants of that area that they could freely practice the Catholic faith, many English colonists (particularly in New
England) objected to it.
Quartering of British Troops – In order to save on the expenses of leaving large numbers of troops in the colonies, the
English government ordered colonial homeowners to provide space in their homes for one or two soldiers. Colonists
objected to this as well.
“Lobsterbacks” – This is the name that many colonists gave to the regular British soldiers, because of their red coats.
Sugar Act (1764) -- In order to raise money to better administer the colonies, this act of Parliament placed a tariff (tax ) on
imported sugar, wine, coffee and a number of other ‘luxuries.’ Many colonists objected to being taxed in this way because
they had no representation in Parliament. Others turned to smuggling in these items without paying the tax.
Stamp Act (1765) – Another measure designed to raise money, this act of the Parliament made it necessary to buy a stamp
for most official documents (wills, deeds, newspapers, etc.). At the time, Parliament also issued a statement that all
English citizens were virtually represented even if they did not elect someone to the House of Commons. American riots
against the stamp agents (who sold the stamps) forced Parliament to repeal the act.
Stamp Act Congress – A gathering of notable colonial leaders in 1765-66 to protest the Stamp Act and write a reply to
Parliament, stating that the idea of Virtual Representation was ridiculous and that the colonists’ rights were being
violated.
John Adams – Another lawyer, who wrote many articles and pamphlets protesting the interference of Parliament in
“America” matters that Englishmen were too far away to understand.
“Committees of Correspondence” – Groups of important local leaders who organized to circulate letters, pamphlets, and
articles that protested the acts of Parliament regarding the colonies – this shows how important local government and local
leadership had become in the colonies, where there was no real aristocracy except the “aristocracy of success.”
Townshend Duties (1767) – Another series of taxes created by Parliament, placed on several luxury goods (such as tea), as
a way of raising money. Generally, the colonists did not react to these taxes, but British merchants did not like them, so
most were repealed in 1769. Only the tax on tea was continued.
Boston Massacre (1770) – A clash between British soldiers and a crowd of colonists in Boston, when a few colonists were
killed, and others wounded. This rose opposition to British rule in Massachusetts to a high pitch.
Patrick Henry – A member of the Virginia Assembly, who was among the first to question if American colonists owed
any real allegiance to the King of England.
Continental Congress – A gathering of major colonial leaders, who opposed the actions of Britain in taxing the colonies
but did not (for the most part) want a revolution. At their meetings in Philadelphia in the fall of 1774, this self-appointed
congress debated how the colonies could resist British “tyranny” without bringing on a war.
Samuel Adams – Boston politician who was very good at raising mobs to protest British taxes. He helped plan and carry
out the Boston Tea Party.
Boston Tea Party (1773) – A act of vandalism by a disguised group of colonists, led by Samuel Adams, when tea worth
10,000 Pounds sterling was destroyed by tossing it into Boston harbor.
Coercive Actions (1774) – In response to the “Boston Tea party,” the King in England took actions that closed Boston
harbor to all imports and exports, gave the governor (appointed by the King) greater powers over appointments and trials,
and stationed more troops in Boston, with an army general as both commander of the troops and governor of the colony.
Minute Men – Groups of volunteer militia, made up of colonists who began training for the possibility of fighting British
troops. These groups pledged to turn out to fight “within minutes” if an emergency occurred. Colonial leaders who
opposed the acts of Parliament now began to secretly gather arms and ammunition.
Lexington and Concord – In May 1775, British soldiers searching for illegal colonial weapons in Concord, met and
exchanged shots with colonial militia. Several were killed, and after a second fight at Lexington later the same day, an
informal rebellion was under way.
John Dickinson and the “Olive Branch Petition” – A prominent leader in Massachusetts, Dickinson had supported
resistance to Parliament’s taxation acts, but opposed armed resistance against the King. He proposed a petition be sent to
the King to express colonial loyalty while asking for the King to help correct the problems before the fighting got out of
hand. He later voted against independence.
Thomas Paine and “Common Sense” – A writer who argued in his pamphlet “Common Sense” that now that shooting
had begun, the only logical next step was to declare independence. His pamphlet sold widely across the colonies.
Fort Ticonderoga – British fort in the Hudson River Valley that was seized by colonial militia in 1775. The cannons from
this fort were vital to the raising of an American army to fight the British.
Declaration of Independence – Written by Thomas Jefferson and approved (after much debate) by the Continental
Congress in June 1776, this became the basic American argument for revolution and listed the basic rights that they
Americans were fighting for.
Northwest Ordinance – this landmark law was passed by the pre-Constitution government of the United States. It set
forth the methods for creating new territories out of lands to the west and guaranteed that such territories would become
states with the same rights and the original 13 states.
Articles of Confederation – written during the revolution, this document was the basis of government until 1789. Many
thought that this government (by a legislature of states with equal votes) was too weak and needed to be replaced.
Saratoga – Site of a major battle in the Revolution, in New York. By defeating the British army of General John
Burgoyne, the United States influenced the French into joining the war on their side. This would ultimately tip the balance
in the Americans’ favor.
Yorktown – This American victory in Virginia in 1781 resulted in the surrender of the main British Army. The British
government accepted the loss of the American colonies at this point, but it took until 1783 for American independence to be
formally recognized in the Treaty of Paris.