Why Is The Columbian Exchange Important

Josh Noble
History 1301 Mon,Wed 3:30
Columbian Exchange
The Columbian exchange was important to our society today, because without it there would not be America like we know it today. The native Americans, Spaniards, English, and the Africans play a great role in starting the Americas. The Native Americans have no nation state, each tribe has their own language, no organized trade routes. Spanish do not bring their families to settle with them, and why is this important? England created the original 13 colonies. The Native Americans had no nation-states, were loosely defined and spoke several hundred different languages. This would have negative consequences for the Native Americans, and they would be easily conquered by the Spanish and
This results in few permanent settlements in what becomes the United States. Therefore Spain will not be able to populate the New World like the English will. The Spanish will intermarry with the American Indians, but not in great numbers. A new culture--the Mestizos-- is formed and this helped to begin a cultural globalization. The modern world exists in a state of cultural, political, and economic globalization. During the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries two nations, Portugal and Spain, pioneered the European discovery of sea routes that were the first channels of interaction between all of the world's continents, thus beginning the process of contemporary globalization. The politics under the Spanish were the REQUERIMIENTO, Acceptance of Spanish sovereignty which was read to the Native Americans in Spanish. and also the ENCOMIENDA Chose certain colonists to receive Native Americans, Promised to Christianize them, Was “a moral pestilence invented by Satan” according to de Las Casas, Marked by military strength. The politics were harsh, cut off the heads of people and skinned them
They intermarried surviving Native Americans, resulting in Mestizos (Columbus Day). They also created universities, cathedrals, painting companies and begun "modern" society. They set up the mission system, population growth, new economic opportunities that demand new political and social thinking. The rise of nation states/centralized states. Which resulted in traditional patterns of authority breakdown, Reformation (1517). Virginia Charter guaranteed the English colonies the same rights as if they had stayed at home and done nothing. Which was a nightmare for all concerned except the buzzards. Then John Smith entered the scene."He who shall not work shall not eat". The politics of the colonies are important because they will lay the foundation of the American Revolution and ultimately the Constitution and Bill of Rights. The colonies' economic diversity and productivity allowed the colonies to expand. Furthermore, the colonies would prosper and England would want its share. This is what capitalism would be built from, and it would send the colonies into revolt due to England's pressure for profit. The English almost used us as slaves to make money from and make items to trade to make deals with other countries to have better