American History: Beginnings to 1877: 1. The Early Americas and European Exploration, Lessons 3–4

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. feudalism
    the social system in which vassals were protected by lords
    This system of rule by lords who ruled their lands but owed loyalty and military service to a monarch is called feudalism.
  2. manor
    the landed estate of a lord, including the house on it
    Feudal life revolved around the manor, which included the lord's castle and the lands around it.
  3. decline
    grow smaller
    Warfare declined and trade began to grow.
  4. crusade
    a medieval military expedition to the Holy Land
    The Crusades were a series of wars fought by Christians to control the region then known as the Holy Land or Palestine, much of which is now Israel.
  5. innovation
    a creation resulting from study and experimentation
    Trade brought new knowledge and with it, new technological innovations.
  6. astrolabe
    instrument used to calculate positions of celestial bodies
    Another useful instrument was the astrolabe, which helped sailors determine their latitude while at sea.
  7. caravan
    a procession traveling together in single file
    Traders formed caravans, or groups of people who traveled together for safety.
  8. kinship
    relatedness or connection by blood or marriage or adoption
    Ties of kinship, or sharing a common ancestor, linked families.
  9. renaissance
    a period of renewed activity and prominence
    This great burst of learning and technological innovation was called the Renaissance. It is a French word meaning rebirth.
  10. colony
    a geographical area controlled by a distant country
    A colony is an area settled and ruled by the government of a distant land.
  11. circumnavigate
    travel completely around something
    They were the first people to circumnavigate, or sail completely around, the world.
  12. modification
    an event when something passes from one state to another
    This exchange brought about many modifications, or changes, to the physical environment of the Americas, with both positive and negative results.
Created on Fri Jun 25 09:28:15 EDT 2021 (updated Tue Jul 20 11:37:51 EDT 2021)

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