"The American Pageant," Vocabulary from Chapters 1-8

This list focuses on founding the new nation (33,000 BC-AD 1783).

Here are links to all the parts of the textbook published by Houghton Mifflin: Part One, Part Two, Part Three, Part Four, Part Five, Part Six
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. archaeologist
    an anthropologist who studies prehistoric culture
  2. indigenous
    originating where it is found
  3. conquistador
    a 16th-century Spanish conqueror of Peru and Mexico
  4. conquest
    the act of defeating and taking control of
  5. puritan
    someone who adheres to strict religious principles
  6. evangelical
    of a Christian church believing in personal conversion
  7. conversion
    a change of religion
  8. dogma
    a religious doctrine proclaimed as true without proof
  9. colonial
    relating to a body of people who settle far from home
  10. indenture
    bind by a contract for work, as an apprentice or servant
  11. proprietor
    someone who owns a business
  12. commonwealth
    world union of states loyal to a central power
  13. militia
    civilians trained as soldiers, not part of the regular army
  14. patronage
    granting favors in return for political support
  15. paternalism
    attitude that people should be controlled in a fatherly way
  16. aristocratic
    belonging to or characteristic of the nobility
  17. autocratic
    characteristic of an absolute ruler or absolute rule
  18. sovereign
    a nation's ruler usually by hereditary right
  19. flotilla
    a fleet of small craft
  20. expedition
    a journey organized for a particular purpose
  21. decimate
    kill in large numbers
  22. missionary
    someone who attempts to convert others to a doctrine
  23. settlement
    the act of colonizing; the establishment of colonies
  24. frontier
    a wilderness at the edge of a settled area of a country
  25. foray
    a sudden short attack
  26. detachment
    a small unit of troops of special composition
  27. monarchy
    autocracy governed by a ruler who usually inherits authority
  28. revolutionary
    advocating or engaged in overthrow of the government
  29. mercantilism
    a system of increasing wealth through colonization and trade
  30. grievance
    a complaint about a wrong that causes resentment
  31. navigation
    ship traffic
  32. parliament
    a legislative assembly in certain countries
  33. representation
    the right to have delegates in some legislative body
  34. excise
    a fee measured by the amount of business done
  35. duty
    a government tax on imports or exports
  36. intolerable
    incapable of being put up with
  37. quarter
    provide housing for military personnel
  38. imperial
    relating to or associated with an empire
  39. tyranny
    government in which the ruler is an absolute dictator
  40. yoke
    an oppressive power
  41. petition
    a formal request that something be submitted to an authority
  42. sedition
    an illegal action inciting resistance to lawful authority
  43. faction
    a dissenting clique
  44. loyalty
    feelings of allegiance
  45. speculator
    one who makes risky investments in the hopes of high profits
  46. patriot
    one who loves and defends his or her country
  47. muster
    call to duty, such as military service
  48. massacre
    the savage and excessive killing of many people
  49. resistance
    group action in opposition to those in power
  50. reconciliation
    the reestablishment of cordial relations
Created on Tue Nov 22 10:49:50 EST 2016 (updated Tue Nov 29 14:07:38 EST 2016)

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