Proprietary Colonies
Colonies in America that were granted by the English Crown to one or more proprietors who had full governing rights. Proprietary colonies included Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Delaware, among others.
Glorious Revolution
The overthrow of King James II of England in 1688 by a union of English Parliamentarians and the Dutch William of Orange, which led to the establishment of a constitutional monarchy.
Pueblo Revolt
A 1680 uprising of the indigenous Pueblo people against Spanish colonizers in present-day New Mexico, which resulted in the temporary expulsion of the Spanish settlers.
King William's War
The North American theater of the Nine Years' War (1689–1697) between France and England, which involved various Native American tribes allied with either side.
War of the Spanish Succession
A major European conflict from 1701 to 1714, which involved a struggle for control of Spain and its vast empire. In North America, it was known as Queen Anne's War.
Tuscarora War
A conflict from 1711 to 1715 between British settlers in North Carolina and the Tuscarora Native Americans, resulting in the defeat of the Tuscarora and their migration northward.
Yamasee War
A 1715–1717 conflict in South Carolina between British settlers and a coalition of Native American tribes, which nearly destroyed the colony.
Mercantilism
An economic theory and practice of managing national economies through strict regulation of trade and commerce, emphasizing the accumulation of gold and silver and the establishment of colonies to serve the mother country's economic interests.
Navigation Acts
A series of English laws that regulated trade between England and its colonies, aiming to ensure that only English ships carried goods to and from the colonies.
Middle Passage
The sea journey undertaken by slave ships from West Africa to the West Indies, notorious for its brutal and inhumane conditions.
Redemptioners
Immigrants, typically from Europe, who gained passage to America by selling themselves as indentured servants upon arrival to pay off their travel costs.
Enslavers
Individuals or entities that owned and exploited enslaved people, often for labor in agriculture, industry, or domestic settings.
Slave Laws
Legal codes that defined the status of slaves and the rights of masters, often severely restricting the freedom and rights of enslaved individuals.
Stono Rebellion
A 1739 slave uprising in South Carolina, which was one of the largest slave revolts in the British colonies, leading to stricter slave laws and the implementation of the Negro Act of 1740.