Social Studies Unit 3
Vocabulary The British in North America
Word / Illustration and Definition(SHOW what the word is J and then define in your OWN WORDS)
mercantilism / An economic system that allowed an imperial country like England to become rich by selling the natural resources taken from its colonies
Rupert’s Land / A vast territory named after Prince Rupert, the first head of the Hudson’s Bay Company. Any land that had a river that flowed into the Hudson Bay was considered part of Rupert’s Land. Therefore, it covered most of what is now Western and Northern Canada.
ethnocentric / A viewpoint that judges other cultures and ideas according to personal values and standards AND believing ones own ethnic group is SUPERIOR
Thirteen Colonies / 13 separate British colonies which are located along the modern day USA’s eastern coastline.
They each had their own unique industries and identities.
Map on pg 55 of your text.
Racism / - prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism directed against someone of a different race based on the belief that one's own race is superior.
- the belief that all members of each race possess characteristics or abilities specific to that race, especially so as to distinguish it as inferior or superior to another race or races
Triangular Trade / The shape the British mercantile system took in America. 13 colonies would send natural resources to England. England would trade guns and rum to Africa in exchange for slaves to work the plantations in America. The slaves made the deadly journey across the Middle passage on the Atlantic Ocean before being sold at auction in slave ports like New Orleans on America’s Eastern coast. This system made England rich.
Religious freedom / The freedom to practice your faith without being persecuted.
English merchant / An English speaking person who made money in business selling things.
English colonist / An English speaking person who lives in a British colony, like the 13 colonies.
Walter Raleigh / The first English explorer to try and build a colony in North America. He failed.
John Cabot / An Italian explorer who explored for England. He was the first European to find Newfoundland and commented on how many fish were there – England was happy to visit Newfoundland each spring for a long time since they had depleted their own fisheries.
Beothuk / The indigenous people who lived in Newfoundland. They were driven to extinction by the British as the result of a combination of factors like: exposure to deadly diseases, losing food sources and violence.
The last member of the Beothuk people died in 1828.
Acadians / A French speaking citizen who lives in Acadia which is modern day Nova Scotia.
Mikmaq / One of Canada’s Indigenous peoples. Their traditional territory is in Atlantic Canada – coastal in the spring and summer and retreated to wooded areas for fall and winter.
Cornwallis / The first Governor of Nova Scotia and a controversial person because of the “Scalping Proclamation” he issued against the Mikmaq people.
Halifax / First built as a strong base for military and naval operations for the British. Build on traditional Mikmaq territory that was one of their important coastal campsites.
Pierre Le Moyne / The most famous soldier for New France who led attacks on HBC posts in the hotly contested Rupert’s Land.
Henry Kelsey / A HBC explorer who set out on foot and by canoe to live among the First Nations and increase the flow of furs into the HBC posts. Made it as far as Saskatchewan and was the first European to see the buffalo herds.
Anthony Henday / An HBC explorer who set out on foot and reached the modern day city of Red Deer. His goal was also to increase the furs flowing into the HBC. While he reached the Siksika, they were not interested in trading for profit.
Matonabbee / A famous Dene chief. He led Samuel Hearne on a northern expedition. Skilled trapper and navigator, without him – Hearne would not have survived.
Roald Amundsen / A Norwegian explorer who was the 1st European to find the Northwest Passage. He can also claim finding the north and south poles as conquests.
James Cook / A Pacific explorer. Explored many beautiful places – searched for the Northwest Passage on Canada’s western coast (British Columbia) and while he didn’t find it – he found sea otters and realized their pelts were valuable in Asia and came to be known as “soft gold”
George Vancouver / Another Pacific explorer coming after James Cook. He also didn’t find the Northwest Passage but he did make the first accurate map of British Columbia’s coastline and has its biggest city named after him to this day.