Columbian Exchange
a series of interactions and adaptations among societies across the Atlantic, including plants, animals, disease, people, etc.
The Columbian Exchange refers to the global exchange of goods, ideas, people, and diseases that occurred following the arrival of Christopher Columbus in the Americas in 1492. This exchange had profound and lasting effects on the world, forever changing the course of history.
On the positive side, the Columbian Exchange led to the introduction of many new foods and plants into Europe, Africa, and Asia. These included crops such as potatoes, tomatoes, corn, and tobacco, all of which would eventually become major staples of life in these regions. Likewise, new animals such as horses and cattle were also introduced, providing new sources of labor and food for people around the world.
On the negative side, the Columbian Exchange also resulted in the spread of deadly diseases such as smallpox, measles, and influenza. These diseases had a devastating impact on the native populations of the Americas. It is estimated that millions of people died as a result of these diseases, which were entirely new to the local populations and which they had no immunity against.
Overall, the Columbian Exchange had both positive and negative effects, helping to drive globalization and the rise of capitalism while also leading to the massive loss of life among native populations around the world.
More Answers:
The Impact of Wheat on Native American Agriculture and Diets: A Staple CropUnderstanding the Encomienda System: Labor Exploitation in Spanish Colonized Americas
The Columbian Exchange: A Historical Account of the Widespread Exchange of Items and Diseases Between the Old and New Worlds