Comparing and Contrasting European Exploration in Asia and the Americas
Danny Liang
Honors World Studies
Compare and Contrast Final Draft
“Following the light of the sun, we left the Old World.” This was a quote from none other than Christopher Columbus, the “first” person who discovered America. This quote sums up the greatest interest of the Europeans of the time. Over the course of history, it shows that any two regions have their own similarities and differences. The Americas and East Asia are no exception. Both have their own similarities and differences no matter how you put it. The Americas and East Asia were two very different regions, but they share some similarities. The first similarity they share is that both had trade with the Europeans, which is economical. The second similarity is that both were being targeted by the Europeans to convert to Christianity, which is cultural. The first difference they had was the colonization, which is environmental. The second difference is one’s population drop, which is also environmental.
The Europeans impacted both the Americas and East Asia economically was through trade. One piece of evidence that showed trade happened in the Americas was the Columbian Exchange. The Columbian Exchange was a huge trade route between the New World and the Old World. It brought a bunch of new things into both worlds such as goods, animals, and diseases. (Crosby)
Trade occurred between the New World and Old World because the Old World wanted to bring in their old stuff into the New World that didn’t exist there. They brought in new animals such as horses, cattle, and sheep. Along with that, the Europeans brought new crops such wheat and rice. But with that came diseases that the Natives had never faced before. In exchange, the New World gave them new crops such as corn (maize), potatoes, and different squashes. They wanted to bring their old stuff into the New World because they were used to that environment that they already had lived in, and they were not willing to part ways with that. (Crosby)
Honors World Studies
Compare and Contrast Final Draft
“Following the light of the sun, we left the Old World.” This was a quote from none other than Christopher Columbus, the “first” person who discovered America. This quote sums up the greatest interest of the Europeans of the time. Over the course of history, it shows that any two regions have their own similarities and differences. The Americas and East Asia are no exception. Both have their own similarities and differences no matter how you put it. The Americas and East Asia were two very different regions, but they share some similarities. The first similarity they share is that both had trade with the Europeans, which is economical. The second similarity is that both were being targeted by the Europeans to convert to Christianity, which is cultural. The first difference they had was the colonization, which is environmental. The second difference is one’s population drop, which is also environmental.
The Europeans impacted both the Americas and East Asia economically was through trade. One piece of evidence that showed trade happened in the Americas was the Columbian Exchange. The Columbian Exchange was a huge trade route between the New World and the Old World. It brought a bunch of new things into both worlds such as goods, animals, and diseases. (Crosby)
Trade occurred between the New World and Old World because the Old World wanted to bring in their old stuff into the New World that didn’t exist there. They brought in new animals such as horses, cattle, and sheep. Along with that, the Europeans brought new crops such wheat and rice. But with that came diseases that the Natives had never faced before. In exchange, the New World gave them new crops such as corn (maize), potatoes, and different squashes. They wanted to bring their old stuff into the New World because they were used to that environment that they already had lived in, and they were not willing to part ways with that. (Crosby)
Cited: Christopher Columbus. (n.d.). BrainyQuote.com. Retrieved December 18, 2012, from BrainyQuote.com Web site: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/c/christophe100795.html Crosby, A. (n.d.). The gilder lehrman institute of american history. Retrieved from http://www.gilderlehrman.org/history-by-era/american-indians/essays/columbian-exchange Spielvogel, J. J. (2005). Glencoe world history. New York, N.Y.: Glencoe/McGraw-Hill. Lu, D. J. (1997). Japan: A documentary history. (pp. 196-197). (Armonk, New York: M. E. Sharpe. Retrieved from http://afe.easia.columbia.edu/ps/japan/tokugawa_edicts_christianity.pdf Halsall, P. (1997). Fordham university. Retrieved from http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/1715chineserites.asp