AP Notes, Outlines, Study Guides, Vocabulary, Practice Exams and more!

Exploration and Colonization

until 1754

Terms : Hide Images
210312291Cabot1450; Italian but sponsored by England; sailed around Ireland, landing place unclear but claimed land for England; believed he had reached Asia so set out once more, shipwrecked; his voyages set the path for the British claim to Canada
210312292Drake1540; England; second explorer to circumnavigate the globe; attempted to claim Puerto Rico and failed, died in the attempt
210312293Balboa1475; Spain; Sailed to Colombia, founded first stable colony in South America; first European to see the Eastern part of the Pacific Ocean; claimed the Pacific Ocean and land for Spain
210312294Verrazano1485; Italy; first European to sight New York; explored the New World
210312295Ponce de León1460; Spain; founded a settlement in Puerto Rico; discovered Florida while searching for the Fountain of Youth
210337271Pizzaro1475; Spain; conquered Incan empire; founded city of Lima, Peru
210337272de SotoSpain 1496 ·Participated in Central American conquests (conquistador) ·Explored United States ·Discovered Mississippi River
210337273Cortes1485; Spain; Farmed on Hispaniola; sailed with Velazquez to conquer Cuba and establish Spanish colony on mainland South America; overthrew Montezuma with aid of Tlaxcalans, became absolute ruler of Mexico; chaos in Mexico, questionable treatment of people lost power
210337274Columbus1451; Spain; Visited New World (thought it was Asia) four times, sponsored by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella; established government on Hispaniola; aimed to gain wealth and status for himself and Spain, spread Christianity
210337275Vespucci1454; Spain, Portugal ; voyaged to New World; discovered mouth of Amazon river, sailed coast of South America; America named after him; first European to sail as far South as Argentina
210337276Diaz1450; Portugal; led the first expedition to round the southernmost tip of Africa; goal was to find a trade route to the East
210337277De Gama1460; Portugal; first European to sail to the East by going around the Southern tip of Africa; opened Western European trade routes with India and the East
210337278Magellan1480; Portgual and Spain; Magellan sailed West searching for a path through South America to the East (sponsored by Spain); discovered the Strait of Magellan through South America; sailed across the Pacific ocean to the Spice Islands (killed); fleet continued around Cape of Good Hope, first to circumnavigate the world
210337279Coronado1510; Spain; exploration of Southwest America; looking for Seven Golden Cities of Cibola
210337280Raleigh1554; England; fought against the Irish rebels in Munster, criticized English policy in Ireland; tried to establish colony in North Carolina and Virginia, paved way for future colonies; led expedition to Venezuela looking for El Dorado (city of gold) but failed
210337281Hudson1565; England, Netherlands; sailed, failed, in search of a Northeast Passage from Europe to Asia, then New World; found Hudson straight and Hudson Bay instead, basis for Dutch colonization of Hudson River and English claims of Canada
210337282Gilbert1539; England; searched for the Northwest passage, instead settlement in Newfoundland
210337283La Salle1643; France; first European to travel Mississippi River, established fur-trade routes; claimed Louisiana for France; explored Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, Lake Erie, Lake Ontario
210337284Champlain1567; France; founded Quebec, ran fur trade; established French colonies in New World; sailed St. Lawrence river, mapped and explored northern New York, Ottawa River, and eastern Great Lakes; discovered Lake Champlain
210337285Marquette and Joliet1673; France; found the Mississippi River, fed into Gulf of Mexico and not Pacific; explored Wisconsin River, Lake Michigan, Green Bay, Illinois River
210337286Cabrillo1543; Spain; sailed from Acapulco to southern California, claimed California for Spain; explored San Diego, Santa Monica, Monterey bays
212165862ArmadaNaval fleet sent by Spain to invade England; British make first battle to use heavy artillery; England and Netherlands could have joined Spain
212165863Prince HenryThe Navigator; Portuguese prince, sponsored expeditions to Africa and more
212165864Roanoke IslandEnglish settlement; founded by Sir Walter Raleigh, intended to be permanent trading post; colony disappeared
212165865Ferdinand and IsabellaRulers of Spain during Age of Exploration; supported Columbus
212165866MayasGreat civilization;occupied Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize; advanced (farming, temples, gold, hieroglyphs); polytheistic (human sacrifice); captured by conquistadores
212165867Philip IIKing of Spain and Portugal; Spanish empire reached Zenith; lost Netherlands and Armada
212165868AztecsNahuatl-speaking people; Mexico; advanced (agriculture, human sacrifice); conquered by conquistadores
212165869Junípero SerraBlessed; Spanish Franciscan priest; missionary in California; controversial figure
212165870IncasPacific Ocean to Ecuador; stratified society (emperor and aristocrats); agricultural society; conquered by conquistadores
212165873MontezumaNinth and last emperor of the Aztecs; killed by Spanish in Cortes' conquest
212165875Northwest PassagePassage through North America; led through Pacific Ocean to Asia; Drake, Cartier, Cook, Gilbert sought, unsuccesful
212165876JesuitsRoman Catholic Society of Jesus; founded by St. Ignatius Loyola; devoted to missionary and educational work
212165880neophytesnew converts to a religion
369841445Plymouthfounded for religious freedom, Separatists, Puritans; ruled by elite but elective system and limited rights, Mayflower Compact; key leaders Miles Standish, John Carver, William Bradford, William Brewster; economically subsistence farming (no trading with England); friendly relations with Indians but disease killed many; second successful permanent English settlement in the New World
369841446John Carverfirst governor of Plymouth
369841447PennsylvaniaEnglish; Founded as payment of debt from King Charles II to William Penn, center for Quakers; governed by governor, small Provincial Council, General Assembly (ineffective); key leaders William Penn, (founder, governor) William Markham (acting governor); economically agricultural exports, manufacturing (abundant natural resources), trade with Indians (for furs); fair treatment, friendship with local indians, most friendly of colonies
369841448JamestownEnglish; founded to spread Christianity, open new areas to trade, guard against Spanish expansion; early problems with Indian attacks, famine and disease; tobacco prosperity, demand for labor led to indentured servants and slaves; fell into debt, became a royal colony; key leaders Christopher Newport (founder), John Rolfe (married Pocahontas)
369841449William PennEnglishman and Quaker who founded the colony of Pennsylvania (1644-1718)
369841450John RolfeOne of the English settlers at Jamestown (and he married Pocahontas). He discovered how to successfully grow tobacco in Virginia and cure it for export, which made Virginia an economically successful colony
369841451William BradfordA Pilgrim, the second governor of the Plymouth colony, 1621-1657. He developed private land ownership and helped colonists get out of debt. He helped the colony survive droughts, crop failures, and Indian attacks
369841452William Brewsterreached Plymouth Colony in the Mayflower, pastor of the Pilgrim congregation
369841453Anne HutchinsonAmerican colonist (born in England) who was banished from Puritan Massachusetts Bay Colony for her religious views (1591-1643); believed faith alone, not deeds, is necessary for salvation; migrated to Providence and then Long Island, killed in an Indian uprising
369841454mercantilismtrade, colonies, and accumulation of wealth as the basis for a country's military and political strength; government should regulate trade and production to enable it to become self-sufficient; colonies to provide raw materials to the parent country for growth and profit of that country's industries; colonies existed solely to enrich the parent country
369856803Bacon's Rebellionan uprising in 1676 in the Virginia Colony, led by Nathaniel Bacon. It was the first rebellion in the American colonies in which discontented frontiersmen took part; protest against the governor of Virginia, William Berkeley, too friendly towards Native Americans; highlighted sharp class differences between wealthy planters and landless or poor farmers and colonial resistance to royal control
369856804Mayflower Compact1620; prior to settlement by the Pilgrims at Plymouth Bay in Massachusetts. It declared that the 41 males who signed it agreed to accept majority rule and participate in a government in the best interest of all members of the colony. This agreement set the precedent for later documents outlining commonwealth rule.
369856805SquantoPawtuxet Indian, captured by explorers (learned English); go-between with Wampanoag and pilgrims; pop culture
369856806John Winthropgovernor of Massachusetts Bay Colony; (1588-1649) was instrumental in forming the colony's government and shaping its legislative policy. He envisioned the colony, centered in present-day Boston, as a "city upon a hill" from which Puritans would spread religious righteousness throughout the world.
369856807Massachusetts Baysettled by Puritans seeking religious freedom, royal charter for colonization not Separatists; led by John Winthrop; Great Migration (civil war in England brought more settlers)
369856808Roger WilliamsEnglish clergyman and colonist who was expelled from Massachusetts for criticizing Puritanism, believed individual's conscience was beyond the control of any civil or church authority; founded Rhode Island for separation of Church and State
369856809Calvinismtheocracy in Geneva, Switzerland; rigid; predestination (life already determined at birth, heaven or hell, suspect who good people were - God would bless you, worked hard equals wealthy, those who are successful are favored and going to heaven); adopted by Puritans
369856810Jonathan EdwardsSinners in the hands of an angry God, fire and brimstone sermons; American theologian whose sermons and writings stimulated a period of renewed interest in religion in America
369856811Great AwakeningReligious revival in the American colonies of the 18th century; emotionalism became a common part of Protestant services, ministers lost authority among those who now studied Bible in their own homes, (question authority, make political decisions without deferring to authority); caused division within churches and call for division of church and state
369889304land bridge100-mile wide land bridge connecting Siberia and Alaska during the last Ice Age; allowed people to cross from Asia to America
369889305Olmeca member of an early Mesoamerican civilization contered around Veracruz that flourished between 1300 and 400 BC
369889306HopewellA mound builder society that was centered in the Ohio River Valley from about 200 B.C to AD 400
369889307pueblosHohokam; stone or mud-brick structures
369889308Mississippianthe last Mound Builder culture that lasted from AD 800 to the arrival of the Europeans in the 1500s
369889309Iroquois Leaguea league of Iroquois tribes including originally the Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga and Seneca (the Five Nations)
369889310conquistadora Spanish conqueror of the Americas
369889311Columbian ExchangeThe exchange of plants, (namely maize) animals, diseases, and technologies between the Americas and the rest of the world following Columbus's voyages; significantly increased agricultural yields and population growth in other continents
369889312Martin LutherGerman theologian who led the Reformation, posted list of indulgences in the church
369889313Navigation Acts1650-1673; Laws that governed trade between England and its colonies. Colonists were required to ship certain products exclusively to England; caused New England shipbuilding to prosper, Chesapeake tobacco had a monopoly in England, English military forces protected colonies from French and Spanish attacks; also limited colonial manufacturing, Chesapeake farmers low prices for crops, colonists pay high prices for English imports; unnecessary, England would have been main trading partner, simply created resentment and smuggling
369889314Glorious Revolutionbloodless revolution; the English Parliament and William and Mary agreed to overthrow James II for the sake of Protestantism. This led to a constitutional monarchy and the drafting of the English Bill of Rights.
369889315Adam SmithScottish economist who advocated private enterprise and free trade (1723-1790); wrote the Wealth of Nations, advocated laissez-faire economics
369889316Middle Passagethe route in between the western ports of Africa to the Caribbean and southern U.S. that carried the slave trade
369889317Stono RebellionThe most serious slave rebellion in the the colonial period which occurred in 1739 in South Carolina. 100 slaves killed several whites, tried to escape to S. Florida; uprising crushed and the participants executed; frightened whites cut slave exports and tightened plantation discipline
369889318William Byrdwealthy plantation owner in colonial Virginia whose diary gives a vivid picture of colonial life; used his wealth to rule over white yeoman families and tenant farmers, relied on violence to exploit enslaved blacks; frustrated with inferiority to British citizens
369889319House of Burgessesthe first elected legislative assembly in the New World established in the Colony of Virginia in 1619, representative colony set up by England to make laws and levy taxes but England could veto its legistlative acts
369889320salutary neglect1714-1727; Allowed the rise of American self-government; royal bureaucrats, pleased by growing trade and import duties, relaxed their supervision of internal colonial affairs
369889321Sir Robert WalpoleWhig Leader in the House of Commons from 1720 to 1742; patronage to win support, filled the British government with do-nothing political hacks; undermined legitimacy of political system
369889322Molasses Act of 1733allowed mainland colonies to export fish and flour to the French islands, but gave a price advantage to British sugar planters, placed a high tariff on French molasses; Americans protested it would cut off molasses imports, slashing colonial income; Americans smuggled sugar in response
375818279nation-statecountry in which the majority of people share both a common culture and common political loyalties toward a central government
375818280asientoSpanish brought slaves from the West Indies; required Spanish to pay a tax on each slave they imported to the Americas
375818281Virginia Companyjoint-stock company that established the first permanent English colony in America at Jamestown in 1607
375818282joint-stock companiespooled the savings of people of moderate means and supported trading ventures that seemed potentially profitable
375818283effects of European colonizationdestruction by disease and war of large segments of the Native American population; establishment of a permanent legacy of subjugation
375820999Spanish policyincorporated the conquered peoples of Central and South America into a highly organized empire; explorers intermarried with Indians and Africans because of limited Spanish immigration; rigid class system dominated by pure-blooded Spaniards
375821000English policyinitially coexisted, traded, shared ideas; later conflict and open warfare; no respect for Native Americans, who felt their lifestyle threatened
375821001French policymaintained good relations with the Native Americans; fur trade, limited settlement did not pose a threat
375851807Renaissancethe revival of learning and culture in Europe; creation of the printing press, compass, gunpowder
376162904charterdocument granting special privileges
376162905corporate coloniesJamestown; operated by joint-stock companies, at least during these colonies' early years
376162906royal coloniesVirginia after 1624; under the direct authority and rule of the king's government
376162907proprietary coloniesMaryland and Pennsylvania; under the authority of individuals granted charters of ownership by the king
376162908Lord Baltimoregranted control of Chesapeake Bay by King Charles I as a reward for the Catholic nobleman's loyal service to the crown; Maryland first of proprietary colonies; died before he could fulfill ambition of achieving great wealth and providing a haven for Catholics
376162909Marylandproprietary colony granted to Lord Baltimore, died; Lord Baltimore II; Act of Toleration, Protestant revolt caused Act of Toleration to be repealed, Catholics lost the right to vote
376162910Act of Toleration1649; the first colonial statute granting religious freedom to all Christians; called for the death of anyone who denied the divinity of Jesus
376162911headright system50 acres of land to each immigrant who paid for his own passage or any plantation owner who paid for an immigrant's passage
376162912Rhode Islandfounded by Roger Williams; recognized the rights of Native Americans and paid them for the use of their land; religious freedom;
376207012ConnecticutThomas Hooker; settlers unhappy with Puritans, Fundamental Orders of Connecticut; formed with New Haven, royal charter granted a limited degree of self-government, including election of governor
376207013Fundamental Orders of Connecticut1639; Hartford settlers, first written constitution in American history; established a representative government consisting of a legislature elected by popular vote and a governor chosen by that legislature
376207014New Hampshireoriginally part of Massachusetts Bay, royal colony; subject to the authority of an appointed governor
376207015halfway covenantpeople could take part in Puritan church services and activities without making a formal declaration to their total belief in Christ; other ministers rejected, denounced
376207016New England Confederationcreated against threat of Indians, Dutch, French; Plymouth, Massachusetts Bay, Connecticut, New Haven; formed a military alliance; directed by a board comprised of two representatives from each colony, limited powers to act on boundary disputes, return of runaway servants, dealings with Native Americans; lasted until colonial rivalries and renewed British control in 1684; established a precedent for colonies taking unified action toward a common purpose
376207017King Philip's War1675-6; Wampanoags united tribes against English settlers, who were encroaching on land; thousands killed, colonial forces prevailed and ended Native American resistance in New England
376207018South Carolinafounded 1670; initially based on trading furs and providing food for West Indies, later large rice-growing plantations worked by African slaves resembled the economy and culture of West Indies
376207019North Carolinasmall, self-sufficient tobacco farms; poor transportation and bad harbors, so fewer large plantations and less reliance on slavery than South Carolina; reputation for democratic views and autonomy from British control
376207020New York1664, Duke of York; took control from Dutch, treated Dutch well and allowed freedom; new taxes, duties and rents without talking to representative assembly; taxation without representation resisted by Puritans, allowed governor to grant broad civil and political rights, including a representative assembly
376207021New JerseyLord John Berkeley, Sir George Carteret; generous land offers and allowed religious freedom and an assembly to attract settlers; sold to various groups of Quakers, confused but eventually combined into a single royal colony
376207022Delaware1702; Penn granted lower three counties of Pennsylvania their own assembly
376207023Georgia1732; only colony to receive direct financial support from the home government in London; British wanted to create a defensive buffer to protect prosperous South Carolina plantations from invasion threat of Spanish Florida, to send debtor's prisoners to start life over; James Oglethorpe, no rum or slavery until 1752, became a royal colony
376207024triangular traderum from New England to West Africa; rum traded for captive Africans; Middle Passage to West Indies, traded for a cargo of sugar; ship would return to English port, sugar sold to be used in making rum
376217439slaveryincreased demand due to reduced migration (increased wages in England), dependable work force (large plantation owners disturbed by political demands of small farmers and indentured servants, Bacon's rebellion); cheap labor
376217440slave laws1641 Massachusetts recognizes slave status as inherited
376323399George WhitefieldGreat Awakening; preacher, ignited Great Awakening with fire and brimstone speeches; ordinary people who had faith and sincerity could understand the Christian gospels without depending on ministers to lead them
376388927Zenger caseNew york editor and publisher put on trial for libelously criticizing New York's royal governor; lawyer argued that it was the truth, common law considered any injurious statements a criminal act regardless of truth, but jury voted to acquit, encouraged newspapers to take greater risks in criticizing a colony's government

Need Help?

We hope your visit has been a productive one. If you're having any problems, or would like to give some feedback, we'd love to hear from you.

For general help, questions, and suggestions, try our dedicated support forums.

If you need to contact the Course-Notes.Org web experience team, please use our contact form.

Need Notes?

While we strive to provide the most comprehensive notes for as many high school textbooks as possible, there are certainly going to be some that we miss. Drop us a note and let us know which textbooks you need. Be sure to include which edition of the textbook you are using! If we see enough demand, we'll do whatever we can to get those notes up on the site for you!