Glossary
Conflict (European-Native American)
Periods of armed struggle and disputes arising from competing claims over land, resources, and cultural differences between European settlers and indigenous peoples.
Example:
King Philip's War was a devastating example of conflict as Native American tribes fought to resist English encroachment on their ancestral lands in New England.
Cooperation (European-Native American)
Instances where European colonists and Native American groups worked together, often for mutual benefit in areas like defense or resource acquisition.
Example:
Some Native American tribes formed alliances and engaged in cooperation with European powers, such as the Huron aiding the French against the Iroquois in conflicts.
European Diseases
Infectious illnesses, such as smallpox and measles, brought by Europeans to the Americas, which had catastrophic effects on Native American populations due to their lack of immunity.
Example:
The spread of European diseases like smallpox decimated Native American populations, weakening their ability to resist European colonization and altering demographic landscapes.
European Expansion
The historical period when European powers explored, colonized, and exerted influence over territories outside of Europe, particularly in the Americas.
Example:
During the 15th and 16th centuries, Spain's European expansion led to the establishment of vast colonial empires in the Americas, seeking wealth and new trade routes.
Native American Societies
The diverse and established indigenous communities and cultures that existed across North America prior to and during European colonization.
Example:
Before European arrival, complex Native American societies like the Mississippian cultures had sophisticated agricultural practices and extensive trade networks.
Trade (European-Native American)
The exchange of goods, resources, and technologies that occurred between European colonists and indigenous peoples in North America.
Example:
Early interactions often involved trade, where Europeans offered metal tools and textiles in exchange for valuable beaver furs from Native Americans.
Transatlantic Trade
The extensive exchange network of goods, people, and ideas that developed across the Atlantic Ocean, connecting Europe, Africa, and the Americas.
Example:
The Transatlantic Trade brought European manufactured goods to the Americas, raw materials back to Europe, and tragically, enslaved Africans to the New World.