The Columbian Exchange
Columbian Exchange
Between 225 and 280 million years ago, all the separate lands came together to form a landmass called Pangea. Around 120 million years ago the landmass had begun to separate. The result of this separation was the formation of the Atlantic Ocean, and the division of the Americas from Africa and Eurasia.
The Columbian Exchange is known as the period of time when there were exchanges in the culture and the economy of the New and Old Worlds. Plants, animals, technology, and different types of diseases were exchanged. These changes had helped shape the way of living for the Native Americans and the Europeans. The exchange had also created improvements in the production of agriculture, increased education, helped with the evolution …show more content…
of warfare, changed the social and cultural ways of each side of the Atlantic, and lastly, hit the citizens with something they weren’t prepared for.
Technology
In the 15th and early 16th centuries technological advancements were influenced by Europe. Europe had more technical and economic advancements when compared to the Native Americans. Although, when Europe had decided to colonize the New World on the other side of the Atlantic, the Native American culture had blossomed. They had created a written alphabet, they had new farming capabilities, new firearms and weapons, and had obtained new building capabilities.
Animals When Christopher Columbus embarked on his second journey, he brought back many things, one of them being animals.
He brought back goats, sheep, cattle, camels, chickens, pigs, horses, and dogs. Francisco Pizzaro and Hernando De Soto had also helped contribute to the finding of these animals. The Europeans didn’t hesitate to put these animals to work. The horses were used for their speed, as carriers of information, and in battle. It was said that they were useful in battle because the natives were intimidated by them for their speed and size. The cattle and the camels were used for their meat. They had also used the cattle for their hide. The Europeans weren’t the only people that had uses for the animals. The Native Americans also had some ideas in mind. They had discovered dogs, a couple breeds of South American camels, guinea pigs, and different types of birds. Many of these animals were used for their meat and hides. The dogs were used for tribe pets, sometimes as a food source, and especially for hunting food for the …show more content…
tribe.
Plants
The Columbian Exchange had involved plants that changed the economy and culture of the New and Old Worlds. Hundreds of plants were discovered in the Americas. The New World had plants such as maize, tomatoes, potatoes, vanilla, rubber tree, cacao, and tobacco. The Old World had gotten plants like citrus, apples, bananas, mangos, onions, coffee, wheat, and rice. When Christopher Columbus brought tobacco back to Europe, it instantly became popular. Tobacco was said to cure 36 different health problems, from bad breath to cancer. That is, until a Virginian named Thomas Harriet died from smoking. After this incident tobacco was studied more closely and was labeled poison. However, smoking did help one’s body fight the other deadly diseases. This is mainly because when one was around people smoking, he was surrounded by smoke, which kept disease ridden mosquitos away. Some people weren’t as lucky as that though.
Diseases
Christopher Columbus didn’t just bring animals, plants, and other goods with him. He brought a variety of diseases. The variety included smallpox, measles, whooping cough, chicken pox, bubonic plague, typhus, and malaria. Europe was described as being “in a grip of an epidemic venereal disease”(Crosby 150). At first people in Europe believed that people died from these diseases due to their sins. Later, everywhere you went somebody had one of these diseases. Every single day hundreds of people died. It is said that in Europe they were issuing more death certificates than they were birth certificates. The Europeans weren’t the only ones getting these diseases. The Indians were also being exposed to them. The most common disease for the Native Americans was smallpox.The Europeans thought that the Indian gods wanted them dead so they didn’t think much of it until their slaves started dying and they needed workers. Due to the smallpox the Native American population had gone down about 80-95%, the Inca empire population dropped from 13 million to 2 million, Mexico's fell about 90%. It not known how much the European population was affected.
Explorers other than columbus
As we all known, Christopher Columbus had been a huge part of the Columbian Exchange.
Although, was he the only explorer during that time? The answer would be…..NO! There were a few other explorers. One of them was Francisco Pizarro. He was known to be one of the most successful Spanish Conquistadors around during 1474-1541. With the help of the Columbian Exchange, in 1532, he had conquered the Inca empire and then founded the Spanish colony of Peru. The smallpox had killed of many of the Inca, including the emperor. So, it wasn’t much of a struggle to take over the empire.He had ruled the former Inca territories until he was assassinated by rival conquistadors in
1541.
Hernan Cortes was another famous Spanish Conquistador. He had conquered the Aztec empire, again with the help of the Columbian Exchange. Smallpox had also taken over the Aztec empire, which helped Cortes with his mission. Conquering the Aztec capital allowed him to take over as the new governor of Mexico. Cortes died in 1547 of Pleurisy.
Hernando De Soto was also a Spanish Conquistador. He led an expedition of conquest into North American territory between 1539 and 1542. De Soto was hoping that he could follow in the footsteps of Cortes and Pizarro in their search for gold. De Soto had led his men on an horrific three-year search, and ended up dying on the banks of the Mississippi River. His men had traveled back to Mexico after his death.
Between 225 and 280 million years ago, all the separate lands came together to form a landmass called Pangea. Around 120 million years ago the landmass had begun to separate. The result of this separation was the formation of the Atlantic Ocean, and the division of the Americas from Africa and Eurasia.
The Columbian Exchange is known as the period of time when there were exchanges in the culture and the economy of the New and Old Worlds. Plants, animals, technology, and different types of diseases were exchanged. These changes had helped shape the way of living for the Native Americans and the Europeans. The exchange had also created improvements in the production of agriculture, increased education, helped with the evolution …show more content…
of warfare, changed the social and cultural ways of each side of the Atlantic, and lastly, hit the citizens with something they weren’t prepared for.
Technology
In the 15th and early 16th centuries technological advancements were influenced by Europe. Europe had more technical and economic advancements when compared to the Native Americans. Although, when Europe had decided to colonize the New World on the other side of the Atlantic, the Native American culture had blossomed. They had created a written alphabet, they had new farming capabilities, new firearms and weapons, and had obtained new building capabilities.
Animals When Christopher Columbus embarked on his second journey, he brought back many things, one of them being animals.
He brought back goats, sheep, cattle, camels, chickens, pigs, horses, and dogs. Francisco Pizzaro and Hernando De Soto had also helped contribute to the finding of these animals. The Europeans didn’t hesitate to put these animals to work. The horses were used for their speed, as carriers of information, and in battle. It was said that they were useful in battle because the natives were intimidated by them for their speed and size. The cattle and the camels were used for their meat. They had also used the cattle for their hide. The Europeans weren’t the only people that had uses for the animals. The Native Americans also had some ideas in mind. They had discovered dogs, a couple breeds of South American camels, guinea pigs, and different types of birds. Many of these animals were used for their meat and hides. The dogs were used for tribe pets, sometimes as a food source, and especially for hunting food for the …show more content…
tribe.
Plants
The Columbian Exchange had involved plants that changed the economy and culture of the New and Old Worlds. Hundreds of plants were discovered in the Americas. The New World had plants such as maize, tomatoes, potatoes, vanilla, rubber tree, cacao, and tobacco. The Old World had gotten plants like citrus, apples, bananas, mangos, onions, coffee, wheat, and rice. When Christopher Columbus brought tobacco back to Europe, it instantly became popular. Tobacco was said to cure 36 different health problems, from bad breath to cancer. That is, until a Virginian named Thomas Harriet died from smoking. After this incident tobacco was studied more closely and was labeled poison. However, smoking did help one’s body fight the other deadly diseases. This is mainly because when one was around people smoking, he was surrounded by smoke, which kept disease ridden mosquitos away. Some people weren’t as lucky as that though.
Diseases
Christopher Columbus didn’t just bring animals, plants, and other goods with him. He brought a variety of diseases. The variety included smallpox, measles, whooping cough, chicken pox, bubonic plague, typhus, and malaria. Europe was described as being “in a grip of an epidemic venereal disease”(Crosby 150). At first people in Europe believed that people died from these diseases due to their sins. Later, everywhere you went somebody had one of these diseases. Every single day hundreds of people died. It is said that in Europe they were issuing more death certificates than they were birth certificates. The Europeans weren’t the only ones getting these diseases. The Indians were also being exposed to them. The most common disease for the Native Americans was smallpox.The Europeans thought that the Indian gods wanted them dead so they didn’t think much of it until their slaves started dying and they needed workers. Due to the smallpox the Native American population had gone down about 80-95%, the Inca empire population dropped from 13 million to 2 million, Mexico's fell about 90%. It not known how much the European population was affected.
Explorers other than columbus
As we all known, Christopher Columbus had been a huge part of the Columbian Exchange.
Although, was he the only explorer during that time? The answer would be…..NO! There were a few other explorers. One of them was Francisco Pizarro. He was known to be one of the most successful Spanish Conquistadors around during 1474-1541. With the help of the Columbian Exchange, in 1532, he had conquered the Inca empire and then founded the Spanish colony of Peru. The smallpox had killed of many of the Inca, including the emperor. So, it wasn’t much of a struggle to take over the empire.He had ruled the former Inca territories until he was assassinated by rival conquistadors in
1541.
Hernan Cortes was another famous Spanish Conquistador. He had conquered the Aztec empire, again with the help of the Columbian Exchange. Smallpox had also taken over the Aztec empire, which helped Cortes with his mission. Conquering the Aztec capital allowed him to take over as the new governor of Mexico. Cortes died in 1547 of Pleurisy.
Hernando De Soto was also a Spanish Conquistador. He led an expedition of conquest into North American territory between 1539 and 1542. De Soto was hoping that he could follow in the footsteps of Cortes and Pizarro in their search for gold. De Soto had led his men on an horrific three-year search, and ended up dying on the banks of the Mississippi River. His men had traveled back to Mexico after his death.