...The Columbian exchange was a period of time when aspects from Europe and the new world began to interact and mix. Some of these resulted in good things; others had terrible effects on the new world and Europe. The Columbian exchange kick started development in the New World. Three lasting impacts are European diseases brought to the new world, plants and animals from Europe, and European technology. When Europeans sailed across the Atlantic and settled in the New World they brought diseases to the natives that they had no natural immunity to. Small pox, measles, and malaria began to ravage across the Native American population. While outbreaks of a disease from Americas, polio began to spread across Europe. Both sides suffered immensely from diseases that were foreign to them....
Words: 373 - Pages: 2
...The Columbian Exchange was a major historical event because it had both a positive and negative impact on the world. This exchange created new global networks and heavily impacted communities in the Americas, Europe, Africa, and Asia. The transfer of plants, animals, knowledge, and technology has changed the world. As well as communities interact with completely new species, tools, and ideas. This transfer of goods, people, microbes and ideas is often referred to as the Columbian Exchange. A major negative consequence that resulted from the Columbian Exchange was high demand for some of these money-making “cash crops” that led to the need for large-scale production. Over the next few hundred years, more than twelve million enslaved people were...
Words: 398 - Pages: 2
...Spaniard could not possibly understand the eventual effects of his arrival. As two cultures met – Aztec and Spanish – an inevitable exchange of material and cultural goods occurred that would play a significant role in the shaping of the modern world. But the degree to which exchange occurred was not always equivalent. At times, goods were transferred between both continents and the entire world reaped the benefits. In some cases though, the transfer was not always equal and had devastating effects. If any one good moved most fluidly between both continents and enriched multiple societies, it would be food. In 1972, historian Alfred W. Crosby gave an expansive treatment of the idea as part of his construction of “The Columbian Exchange.” The extent of the transference of foods from one continent to the other is almost exhausting; in fact, many modern conceptions of national cuisines would be impossible pre-contact; imagining Italian food without the tomato, Thai food without the chile pepper, or Mexican food without chicken or pork seems implausible. Perhaps the most impactful food was maize. While Europeans quickly attempted to establish wheat as the standard...
Words: 1317 - Pages: 6
...Lasting Effects Of The Columbian Exchange What would the world be like without the effects of the Columbian Exchange? The Columbian Exchange had many effects on how today’s world works. It greatly affected almost every society on earth, bringing disease that decreased population, and brought new crops and livestock. It also led to many Africans being transported to the New World as slaves to do skilled and unskilled labor. The Columbian Exchange have many different impacts on today’s world and how it works, it had a major effect on the population of the new and old worlds. It is well proven, the Columbian Exchange involved the exchanges of plants, animals, and technology. It played a significant role in the primacy of mercantilism as economic...
Words: 463 - Pages: 2
...The Columbian Exchange had both beneficial and unpleasant effects on the Native Americans and Europeans. For the Natives, disease was the biggest downfall of the exchange. Because they had not been exposed to diseases like smallpox and measles prior to European encounter, they were not immune to them, which caused major population decreases in Native communities. In some cases, whole populations were obliterated at the expense of the exchange. Vice versa, sailors took back with them to Europe an STD known as syphilis. The agricultural produce from the Americans, a major commodity during the Columbian Exchange, allowed for a population boom in Europe. The domestication of a variety of animals from Europe and other continents was introduced to...
Words: 318 - Pages: 2
...The Columbian Exchange was the transatlantic trade of crops, technology, and culture between the Americas and Europe, Africa and Asia. The exchange began in 1492 with Columbus’ first voyage. There were many causes and effects of the exchange, some which had a favorable outcome but some were calamitous. The most crucial long-term effects were the exchange of products, the import of slaves, and the sub-sequential life on the continents. During the Columbian Exchange, one of the most important outcomes was the exchange of products because of the contrasting effects it had on the Americas, Europe, Africa, and Asia. When the Europeans came to the Americas, they brought some things that were new to the Native Americans such as, wheat, cows, horses, firearms, laws, languages and customs. Also, when the Europeans returned they brought back peanuts, pineapples, tomato, potatoes, cocoa, and tobacco. Although there were many benefits to the exchange they were far from compensated from the misery that came. Native Americans were used as forced labor before slaves were brought from Africa. Furthermore, diseases spread rapidly due to the fact that the Native Americans had no prior exposure to these diseases which made them susceptible to...
Words: 557 - Pages: 3
...The Columbian exchange is the complex exchange of goods, crops, and diseases that took place between the New World and the Old World following discovery of the Americas by the Spanish. The most significant thing to be exchanged were the diseases and pathogens transferred to the indigenous people who were already living on the continent. Diseases brought by the Europeans were ultimately responsible for the massive deaths of about 45 million people. While this aspect is easily the most shocking and negative aspect of the exchange, there were some positive sides to the trade that occurred in this period. The positives came mainly in the form of the new plants that were acquired on both sides of the Atlantic. The Europeans colonized new land to...
Words: 309 - Pages: 2
...The Columbian Exchange When Christopher Columbus sailed the Atlantic from Spain and discovered the Americas in 1492, he started The Columbian Exchange or the trading and spreading of ideas, foods, and diseases throughout the new and old worlds. The advanced technology from Spain helped the voyages that soon assisted in the development and improvement of the European and American societies. Even though the Columbian Exchange spread a variety of diseases, it had positive effects on Europe and the Americas, because it increased European population, increased migration, and spread different foods. Before 1580, only 139,000 Spaniards and 68,000 Africans had migrated to the new land; by 1640 roughly 188,000 Spaniards and 607,000 Africans resided...
Words: 374 - Pages: 2
...The Columbian Exchange took place in 1942. The Exchange encompassed four pivotal categories. These categories entailed animals, plants, diseases, and people. The Columbian Exchange also entailed the trading of commodities between the Old World and the New World. The Old World transported numerous animals to the New World such as pigs, horses, chickens, and cattle. Although the New World did not bestow animals, they bestowed other expedient commodities such as plants. The New World gave avocadoes, peanuts, cocoa, potatoes, and tobacco. Tobacco was exerted as a medicine to help stomach impediments that emanated from parasites and bacteria in unhygienic water. People would swallow the tobacco and the tobacco would exterminate the parasites in the victims’ gastrointestinal system. Much analogous to parasites, people commenced to apprehending other diseases that caused them to become terminally ill. The Old World was the one liable for the augmentation of these diseases. The Old World bestowed upon the New World diseases such as mumps, measles, and smallpox. After these diseases undertook effect, the civilization’s population plummeted drastically. In remuneration for the Old World’s munificence, the New World bestowed upon the Old World with an additional disease that also deteriorated the population ominously. This disease was differentiated syphilis. Another commodity that was bequeathed with the New World were people. People from the Old World such as Africans, were forced to migrate...
Words: 275 - Pages: 2
...Kevin Chen In the Columbian Exchange, the natives on the New World were negatively affected. The exchange might’ve brought useful things like horses and muskets but in the end the exchange harmed the natives. The Native Americans in Hispaniola were treated badly and were viewed as inferior people who needed to be controlled as implied in documents 1 and 2. The diseases also decimated the population spreading like a plague. (document 4) Any treatment would either worsen the problem or help spread the disease and it had no useful effect. One might say that the exchange was positive because of the fact that it led to the use of horses by the Plain Indians Ad others. However, the horses were also used in battle causing higher casualties. The use of horses also was used to manipulate the natives into killing of other tribes. Also the loss of cultures that resulted are severe and is not reversible. Such a loss out- weighs the benefits that came along. One might also argue that horses allowed hunts to be more successful. However, the hunts then slowly destroyed the food supply that thy relied on. Although many might question the reliability of document 2’s numbers (there is a debate on the original number of Indians on Hispaniola according to document 4), the truth that around half of the population died from bad treatment and diseases still remains true. Another argument might note that better technology had come to the New World via the Columbian Exchange, However the diseases...
Words: 287 - Pages: 2
...migration are extremely important to understand. Columbian Exchange Over time and through exploration, the New World was discovered. As migration took place, many benefits were discovered by the colonists and western expansion took place. Though there were many reasons for this movement, the economics of these new lands along with religious freedoms were two of the main reasons for migration. War and limitations on land use caused a dire need for expansion. Persecution for religious beliefs made it desirable to seek new homes to freely practice versus the active suppression. After a very costly war and a shift in demands, the English had a burning desire to obtain land. “Because of the worldwide demand for wool was growing rapidly, landowners were converting their land from fields for crops to pastures for sheep” (Brinkley, 2010). With land plots decreasing for crops and the effects of a war-torn Europe upon them, migration to new lands became more and more enticing. As migration took place, new land was obtained. With the new land came an expansion in economic incentives, from new trade to new crops. “Second, the discovery of the Americas provided the Old World with vast quantities of relatively unpopulated land well-suited for the cultivation of certain crops that were in high demand in Old World markets.” (Nunn & Qian, 2010). With the migration, crops were traded between the Natives and the settlers. This exchange also allowed for an extension of current trade...
Words: 548 - Pages: 3
...Drastically Impacted World History has been impacted by so many civilizations and trade it is quite unbelievable. Yet, what is a great example of World History being impacted? A good example of World History being impacted or altered is the Columbian Exchange. The Columbian Exchange is not just about the mere exchange of trades and goods. It includes the idea that the Europeans changed the very culture of many people in different areas. For one, the Europeans brought a smallpox epidemic to the America’s, which almost wiped out the people living there. This is not the only way Europeans impacted other civilizations. Many people living in China received many new crops. One crop in particular is the potato. The potato will eventually become important...
Words: 1242 - Pages: 5
...Samantha Harris April 4, 2014 The Columbian Exchange Columbus’s Voyage played a pivotal role in History because it lead to the exchange of goods, people and ideas, between the Old World and the World, which has been termed the Columbian Exchange or the Great Exchange, devised by historian Alfred Crosby, of the University of Texas. Many new and different goods were exchanged between parts of the Earth and transformed Europe and American ways of life. Everyone today knows that Florida is famous for our oranges, and as a matter of fact it is our official state fruit and is a major part of Florida’s economy. However, did you know that before Columbus and the Columbian Exchange, oranges did not exist in the Americas? The orange plant is believed to be native to Asia. I believe that It’s Important to understand the Columbian Exchange, because understanding the Columbian Exchange helps us understand the forces that shape the world , as we know it today. This essay will specifically focus on the impact the Columbian Exchange had on Europe in regards to newly introduced plants. New plants impacted Europe in a very positive way by increasing Europe’s population tremendously and also creating economic stimulation which make this country a very powerful country. Newly introduced plants also had some negative impacts, not on Europe but on slaves. New plants associated with the Columbian Exchange had a huge impact on the population of Europe. The Old World received bountiful...
Words: 888 - Pages: 4
...The Columbian Exchange named after Christopher Columbus happened during the 15th to 17th centuries. The explorers, settlers, and natives exchanged technology, animals, plants, and diseases among the Old World countries and the New World. Because of their trades and exploration our country has helped become what it is today. It is a powerful, wealthy, independent nation that has given opportunity to others that settlers were able to find when they came here. We have been blessed with the technologies that were brought here. Machinery and agricultural equipment helped develop the land and feed more people. Architectural designs grew large and great cities. Domesticated farm animals allowed people to have a permanent place to live and grow their families as well as a community. Some native animals were also sent back to Europe such as the turkey and some camelids. Plant species that were traded greatly helped the European countries more than the New World settlers. Basic crops such as potatoes, corn, squash, and beans provided more food choices for the average European citizen. They also benefitted from chili peppers and cacao. This enabled them to have some spice and chocolate. Columbus only brought sugar cane over to be grown since it did not grow well there. This enhanced the American diet though not always in a good way. The diseases that were exchanged through contact devastated mainly the Native Americans who had no immunity to things like small pox and influenza. Syphilis...
Words: 316 - Pages: 2
...Discuss the process of the exchange, what was involved, and the impact on both the Americas and Europe. According to Nathan Nunn and Nancy Qian, “The Columbian Exchange refers to the exchange of diseases, ideas, food crops, and populations between the New World and the Old World following the voyage to the Americas by Christopher Columbus in 1492.” The Columbian Exchange: A History of Disease, Food, and Ideas. The first major impact that affected the new world was the diseases. Some of the diseases they came in contact with were smallpox, measles, whooping cough, typhus, and malaria. Since they were not immune to these diseases they were completely defenseless. There were very few diseases from the new world but the most notable was syphilis. The second major impact that affected the new and old world was the transfer of foods. Some of the most nutritional foods introduced were potatoes, sweet potatoes, maize, and manioc. Some other foods such as tomatoes, and chili peppers were not high in calories. Quinine, a significant impact, was a medicinal gift from the new world to the old world. Quinine was the first effective treatment for malaria. The introduction of new wildlife was a drastic change for the new world because they knew nothing of horses, cattle, sheep, or goats; those were all animals of the old world. Animals were also infected by all types of diseases. Religion affected both the new and old world. Roman Catholics were one of the first religious groups to...
Words: 365 - Pages: 2
