Native Americans
Definition
Native Americans are indigenous peoples who inhabited North America before European exploration and colonization. They include various tribes with diverse cultures spread across different regions.
Analogy
Imagine Native Americans as original inhabitants of a house (America) where uninvited guests (Europeans) suddenly show up one day. These guests bring their own rules and start changing things around without asking permission.
Related terms
Tribes: Groups of native people who share a common culture, language, religion, customs etc., often led by chiefs or elders.
Columbian Exchange: The widespread transfer of plants, animals, culture human populations between America and Old World following Columbus's voyages in 1492.
Reservation System: A system established by U.S government to allocate land specifically for Native American tribes.
"Native Americans" appears in:
Study guides (7)
AP US History - 1.4 Columbian Exchange, Spanish Exploration, and Conquest
AP US History - 1.7 Causation in Period 1
AP US History - 2.4 Transatlantic Trade
AP US History - 2.5 Interactions between Native Americans and Europeans
AP US History - 2.6 Slavery in the British Colonies
AP US History - 3.2 The Seven Years’ War (The French and Indian War)
AP US History - 3.12 Movement in the Early Republic
Practice Questions (20+)
Which European power established a fur trading network with Native Americans during Period 2?
How might westward expansion differed if Native Americans were treated as sovereign nations by U.S government?
How did King Philip's War impact relations between Native Americans and English settlers?
What was a major conflict between Native Americans and European settlers during the 1600s?
What was a common reason precipitating conflicts between European settlers and Native Americans during the colonial period?
What continued to be a significant factor influencing interactions between European colonizers and Native Americans?
What was one impact on Native Americans due to colonization by Europeans?
What were some of the main reasons for conflicts between Europeans, colonists and Native Americans according to this unit?
Which factor remained consistent in the US government's policy towards Native Americans from the Indian Removal Act of 1830 until the late 19th century?
What U.S policy from the late 19th century aimed at assimilating Native Americans into mainstream society?
Which cultivation technique was mainly used by Native Americans in the Southwest before European contact?
What was one major conflict between Native Americans and Europeans during the exploration of the Americas?
What crop introduced by Native Americans had a significant impact on the diet of Europeans post-exploration?
Which lasting principle can be traced back to early interactions between Native Americans and Europeans during this era?
Which explorer’s journey initiated the first lasting interaction between Native Americans and Europeans?
What was one significant impact of the Columbian Exchange on Native Americans?
What major impact did Spain's Repartimiento policy have on Native Americans in colonial times?
In what industry did most Native Americans provide forced labor under Casta systems?
What key technological innovation had a significant impact on the interaction between Native Americans and Europeans during colonization?
Which European cultural trend was imposed upon Native Americans after contact?
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