The Columbian Exchange: New Word And Europe In The 16th Century

The Columbian Exchange was the trading of goods, people, and ideas between continents in the times of exploration. The exchange took place between the New Word and Europe in the 15th century to the 16th century. It was caused by exploration and the increased need for materials within the continents. The settlers sent corn, potatoes, tomatoes, peanuts, beans, and tobacco from the Americas to Europe. From Europe to the Americas, the people sent wheat, rice, oats, barley, guns, horses, cattle, pigs, coffee beans, grapes, bananas, and sugarcane. A myriad of new supplies were transported and introduced to these countries through trade routes found by explorers. The Columbian Exchange brought about some changes to all of the places that it was associated
with.
The effects of the Columbian Exchange were numerous and significant to the build of the Americas and the constant growth of Europe. For example, when crop production greatly increased, the people in the Americas developed a need for workers in the fields. Native Americans became the target of settlers and proved to be excellent laborers. They were eventually forced into slavery. However, the Europeans also brought with them multiple diseases that dramatically killed off thousands of Native American populations. The death of many natives caused a shortage of workers, so the settlers began to trade for Africans as part of triangle trade. Due to the constant exchanging of goods and ideas, cultural diversity rates rose within the colonies. Also, populations increased due to better health and many people emigrated to the Americans from Europe. The Columbian Exchange later led to an increase of wealth for the Americas, Europe, and eventually Africa.
The Columbian Exchange was facilitated by exploration and in turn led to an advance of crops, wealth, and slavery. It had its cons, like how in the trading system diseases were developed and spread mainly throughout the New World. Also, a network of slavery emerged with crop harvests. This was when indentured servants were less common after they all finished paying off their debts. That being said, the Columbian Exchange had many pros that came with it such as a lot more money for the countries involved as harvests produced more food. Also, the population of European settlers in the New World rose as peoples' attention shifted to the journey to a seemingly more promising land. The Columbian Exchange was a very important and consequential time period in the history of America and the world and its effects had a great impact on human life.