How Did Columbus Change America

As a result of Christopher Columbus’s voyage in 1492 CE,the world was revolutionized by the newly established Trans-Atlantic trade. In the time frame of 1450 CE-1750 CE, regions such as Spain had many changes to their economy in how they obtained resources and it drastically changed Native American’s population, but many European nations experienced little change in cultural life such as the continuance of slavery and religion because Christopher Columbus discovering the Americas.
Before any European nation had heard of the New World, they were at constant war with neighboring nations for resources. They also put an emphasis on armies over navies. Because of Columbus, European nations looked West instead of East for resources. This change occurred
First off, their populations were drastically decreased by up to 90% due to diseases like smallpox and poor treatment from the colonizing people such as the Spaniards. This major change happened because the Native Americans had never been involved in any major trade so their immune system could not fight diseases like the Europeans could. The Native Americans also experienced poor treatment from explorers because they did not have the technology necessary to defend themselves against invaders who had gunpowder and metal armor. Since the Europeans saw that they were stronger than some American civilizations, or saw that they could take them down easily, they completely changed the natives ways of life by putting the into slavery and using them as free labor. All this treatment was so bad that many indians died and in the 16th Century was labelled as the Great
Many countries such as Portugal and Great Britain relied on the regions of the Indian Ocean in the 17th Century. Portugal relied on East Africa and Great Britain on India. This connects to the Trans-Atlantic trade because like how Portugal and Great Britain went beyond their territory for resources, Spain went to the Americas for resources. Both these changes in the countries economies of relying mostly on imports was caused was caused by the competitiveness of the few resources that were in Europe. Also both trade networks are connected in their cultural changes. Portugal and Great Britain mistreated the natives of Indian Ocean regions like how Spain treated the natives to the Americas. Portugal used its navy to violently conquer the shores of Africa and they also spread diseases, like the smallpox epidemic in the Americas, but not as drastic. Both these changes in culture are connected because they show how trade networks allow nations to enter new territories and completely take over leaving the natives severely damaged. Also, in the Indian Ocean trade religions such as Buddhism, 4th Century from India, and Islam, 9th Century from the Middle East, were spread between nations. The spread of universalizing religions was a continuity that always happens similar to the universal religion of Christianity spread by Spain in the Trans-Atlantic trade.This cultural continuity connects