Definitions

Northwest Ordinances: After the Revolutionary War, the Northwest territories were in dispute among Virginia, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New York. Thomas Jefferson proposed a plan to divide the Northwest Territory into a number of states, and this plan was embodied in the Ordinance of 1787, providing for the creation of not less than three nor more than five states. The importance of the ordinance is that it set forth the procedure upon which new states might organize (Faulkner 170).

Articles of Confederation: The Articles of Confederation was the first written framework of government for the United States. It was ratified in 1781 and can be seen as the precursor to the Constitution, and it instituted a decentralized governmental form without a strong central government.

Both Axtell and Morrell consider the nature of the impact of the coming of Europeans on the native population in the New World. Both find that that impact, while often couched

. . .
ean is "reduction," a process of change to a more civilized state in the eyes of the European settlers. 1. When the Spanish conquistadors arrived in the New World, they found flourishing civilizations firmly in place in the form of the Incas in Peru and the Aztecs in Mexico. Within a short time, the Spanish had destroyed these civilizations and eradicated much of their culture. In addition to the desire for conquest, gold, and plunder of all sorts, the conquistadors also saw themselves as carrying on a Holy Crusade to stamp out idolatry and to bring Christianity to these heathen peoples. The meeting between the Spaniards and the indigenous peoples of the New World was a culture clash in which the European would ultimately prevail, but elements of the indigenous cultures would survive and be adapted to the developing Christian society the conquistadors left behind. To a great degree, this was acculturation at the point of a sword, and the conquistadors ruthlessly stamped out cultural elements of which they did not approve. Some of these truly offended the sensibilities of the Europeans, such as the practice of human sacrifice by the Aztecs. Other cultural elements may have been eliminated more as a result of the devastatio
. . .

Some common words found in the essay are:
Americans Axtell, Holy Crusade, Europe Native, Aztec Maya, Mexico City, Indians Moors, Articles Confederation, Indians Nonantum, Francisco Pizarro, American Revolution, central government, articles confederation, mother country, favorable balance trade, human sacrifice, country colonies, wearing hair, american revolution, strong central, cultural elements, strong central government, mother country colonies, native shipping,
Approximate Word count = 1837
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page)

More Essays on Definitions