Empires In The Americas

The scattered population descended from native Africans or people from Africa. African Diaspora. The African Diaspora refers to the spread of African people and their descendants to various parts of the world, primarily due to the transatlantic slave trade.

A device that equates to a handheld model of the universe used for navigation. Astrolabe. An astrolabe is an ancient tool used by astronomers and navigators to measure the positions of stars and planets for navigation and telling time.

A Spanish priest and writer who condemned the treatment of Indians in the Spanish empire, Bartolome de Las Casas. He was a historical figure who advocated for the rights of indigenous people during the colonial period.

A small highly-maneuverable sailing ship developed in the 15th century. Caravel. The caravel was a type of ship used by European explorers like Christopher Columbus to travel long distances across the ocean.

The grant of authority or rights. Charter. In History, a charter is a formal document granting rights or privileges, often used by monarchs to establish cities or universities.

An Italian explorer, navigator and colonist who completed four voyages across the Atlantic. Christopher Columbus. He is known for discovering the Americas in 1492 while seeking a new route to Asia.

The complete navigation around an entire island or continent. Circumnavigation is the act of traveling all the way around the Earth, typically by sea.

The transfer of goods, culture and ideas between the Americas, West Africa and the Old World. Columbian Exchange. It was the widespread exchange of plants, animals, and diseases between the New World and the Old World after Columbus's voyages.

The knights, soldiers and explorers of the Spanish and the Portuguese Empire. Conquistador. A conquistador was a Spanish or Portuguese explorer who conquered territories in the Americas during the 15th to 17th centuries.

A Spanish labor system that rewarded conquerors with the labor of subject people. Encomienda was a system where Spanish conquerors were granted the right to extract labor and tribute from Indigenous people in the Americas.

A Portuguese explorer and the first to sail around the world. Ferdinand Magellan. Magellan led the first expedition that circumnavigated the globe, proving it was possible to sail completely around the Earth.

A Spanish conquistador who conquered the Inca Empire. Francisco Pizarro. He was a leader who defeated the Inca Empire in the 16th century for Spain.

A Spanish Conquistador who conquered the Aztec Empire. Hernan Cortes. He was the leader who led the Spanish expedition that brought down the Aztec Empire in the early 16th century.

The first European to describe and map the Saint Lawrence River was Jacques Cartier. Jacques Cartier was a French explorer who claimed what is now Canada for France.

A Norse explorer and the first known European to travel to North America. Leif Erikson was a Viking who sailed to North America around the year 1000.

A geopolitical border, often agreed upon as part of an armistice or ceasefire. Line of Demarcation. In history, the Line of Demarcation was a boundary established by the Treaty of Tordesillas in 1494 to divide newly discovered lands between Spain and Portugal.

The triangular trade in which millions of Africans were forcibly transported to the New World. Middle Passage. The Middle Passage refers to the harrowing sea journey endured by enslaved Africans as they were transported across the Atlantic Ocean to the Americas.

The Aztec emperor who was captured and imprisoned by Hernan Cortes. Moctezuma. Moctezuma was a ruler of the Aztec Empire when Spanish conquistadors first arrived in Mexico.

The sea route between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans through the Arctic Ocean. Northwest Passage. The Northwest Passage is a historically sought-after maritime route that explorers tried to navigate to connect the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans through the Arctic.

A large-scale estate meant for farming that specializes in cash crops. Plantation. Historically, plantations were farms in the Americas where enslaved people were forced to work, primarily growing crops like cotton, sugar, and tobacco for export.

A central figure in the 15th-century European maritime discoveries and expansion, Prince Henry. Prince Henry, known as "The Navigator," was a Portuguese prince who advanced exploration by promoting sea voyages along the African coast.

Theologians whose works and actions brought about the Protestant Reformation. Protestant. Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that emerged in the 16th century as a reform movement against certain practices of the Catholic Church.

The 16th century schism within Western Christianity initiated by Martin Luther. Reformation. The Reformation was a movement that led to the division of the Catholic Church and the birth of Protestant churches.

A famous Spanish naval fleet used by the Spanish king against Britain in the 16th century, Spanish Armada. The Spanish Armada was a large fleet of ships sent by Spain in 1588 to invade England but was famously defeated.

A treaty between Portugal and Spain in which they divided up all the land in the Americas. The Treaty of Tordesillas was an agreement in 1494 that split newly discovered lands outside Europe between Portugal and Spain to prevent conflict.