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Defronciaco Kyrie
The motives for the Columbian Exchange started when Christopher Columbus discovered South America in 1492, many other explorers began making trips over to the Americas. They brought food, technology, organisms, and disease to the new world and brought back with them new metals, food and disease to the old world. The motivation behind the exchange was to investigate and discover new pieces of the new world that they could claim for their country. When they found new plants and animals, they brought some back with them. They unintentionally brought disease with them to the new world, and back to the old world. Motives for going to the Americas were economic, nationalistic and religious, but not biological. The explorers from Europe in the Americas wanted to expand empires, make money, and convert others to religion.
The Columbian Exchange had a huge effect on the world. Before the Columbian Exchange, there were no oranges in Florida, no pineapples in Hawaii, no bananas in Ecuador, no tomatoes in Italy, no coffee in Columbia, no rubber trees in Africa, no cattle in Texas, no donkeys in Mexico, no chili peppers inThailand and India, no paprika in Hungary, no cigarettes in France and no chocolate in Switzerland. Even the dande lion was brought to America by Europeans for use as an herb. The Americas were greatly affected by the Columbian Exchange. Large populations were infected with smallpox, measles, diphtheria, whooping cough, and influenza. One hundred million people died in the three hundred year period. Also, many people migrated to the Americas from Europe and Asia. The trade of en-slaved Africans began during the Columbian Exchange. Unfortunately for the, the native people had to work for the Spanish and they later lost their land to the Europeans, and the Spanish tried to convert the Native Americans to Christianity. Finally, when horses were introduced to the new world, the Native Americans changed to a nomadic lifestyle. Hunting became easier because they could be faster on horses. The Columbian Exchange had a large impact on Europe. First, the new food and animals became part of the economy. Second, urbanization was sped up by the twenty percent population increase. Third, prices increase because there was more money in circulation. This is known as the Price Revolution. Fourth, capitalism, where businesses were owned privately, grew. Also, mercantilism increased and believed that in order to increase economy, Europe must export more goods than imported. The Columbian exchange had an effect on society in Europe. Merchants who invested overseas, gained wealth. The price revolution hurt the wealth of nobles, while skilled workers thrived. The hired laborers and the servants of the upper and middle class often lived in poverty. Last, the tomatoes from the new world were used to make tomato sauce in Italy, which became a trademark of their country The impact that the Columbian Exchange had in Africa was great. Africans were enslaved and transported to the Americas against their will, while new crops from America arrived. There crops include peppers, manioc, tobacco and beans. Also, some people integrated into "sub-tropical" societies in Africa. Lastly, the involuntary moved of Africans to the Americas caused social problems. These social problems included poverty that is still present on the continent today
There were many consequences of the Columbian Exchange. One consequence is that potatoes used to be grown only in South America, and after the exchange, Ireland became dependant on Potatoes. When there was a diseased potato crop, it lead to the Irish Potato Famine. Another consequence is that there were devastating consequences when people from the old world, Europe, brought diseases to the new world, the Americas. Native Americans died because they had not built up resistance to diseases such as small pox.
Distribution of Native Organisms During the Columbian Exchange (click here)
Columbian Exchange
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