So I’m back. Not that I haven’t been editing, just too close to deadline to cobble together a style guide. Here’s the newest one:

• The word discover: Chicago 7.57 says key terms in a  particular context are often italicized on their first occurrence. Thereafter, they are best set in roman.
• Natives, Native Americans, Indians, Amerindians, etc: Chicago 8.43 says that proper names should be capitalized. Also, it says that many American Indians prefer the term American Indians to Native Americans. However, when saying “The native inhabitants…” the word native should be lowercase.
• Possessive Columbus: Chicago 5.26 says that the possessive of a name is formed by adding ‘s. This remains in effect even when the name ends in an s. The only exception for a name is when it ends in the eez sound (Euripides’ tragedies). That’s found in Chicago 7.20.
• Reconquista of Spain, Requerimiento: No need to italicize. Chicago 7.53 says that foreign proper nouns are not italicized in an English context. (For the record, it’s a Spanish/Portuguese word that has been adopted into English to refer to the 800 year crusades on the Iberian peninsula.)
• The adelantados,: Chicago 7.51 says that Italics are use or isolated words and phrases in a foreign language if they are likely to be unfamiliar to readers. Also, that comma afterwards should be in roman. I can’t find the rule for that, but all the examples they give show it that way (see 7.52 and 7.57).
• Pacific Coast: Chicago 8.50 says that Coast should be capitalized in West Coast, but it seems to be more specific that Pacific coast. Are they the same? I can’t find anything on it and Wikipedia has it lowercase (I know it’s not the best source, but still…) My gut says go lowercase, so that’s what I’m doing. UPDATE: Chicago 8.58 has Pacific coast lowercase if it’s general and Pacific Coast uppercase if the region is meant. Since it’s a general usage in my paper, I’m treating my gut to a donut.
• Eastern frontier, southwestern: Lowercase. I’m much more sure on this one. Chicago 8.50.
• Sixteenth century: Chicago 9.36, particular centuries are spelled out and lowercased.
• Four thousand: Round numbers are usuall spelled out. Chicago 9.4.
• The “New World”: Chicago 8.51, Popular names of places are usually capitalized. Quotation marks are not needed. The example it gives is the Old World, but the concept is the same.
• Frontiersman: Again, Chicago 7.57.
• Fur trader-explorer connection: Here, you should use an en-dash. Chicago 6.85.
• Watershed: For the record, the word watershed can stand alone and does not need to preceed moment.