<aside> 💡 In this lesson, you will…

1. Examine the economic impacts of the Columbian Exchange on Europe
2. Examine the environmental impacts of the Columbian Exchange on Europe and the Americans
3. Explain the collapse of Native American societies to genocide and epidemic.

Big Question: Why and how did Europe benefit from the exchange of food, animals, and disease between the Old and the New World?

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Defining the Columbian Exchange

Columbus’ encounter with the peoples of the Americas quickly led to a significant and transformative exchange of various products, resources, and ideas known as the Columbian Exchange.

The Columbian Exchange initiated in 1492 with Columbus’ initial landing in the New World. Over time, this exchange continued to evolve and expand, reaching its peak during the American Independence and the Victorian Era, when its impact was most profound and far-reaching. However, it should be noted that the Columbian Exchange is a complex phenomenon, and its exact end can be challenging to pinpoint.

The Impacts of the Exchange

Economic: The Age of Silver

During the Age of Exploration, silver emerged as a globally recognized currency due to the influx of Spanish silver from the New World. This abundant supply of silver facilitated international trade, as it could be exchanged for valuable commodities such as spice in India, silk in China, and refined goods in Europe. The widespread acceptance of silver as a medium of exchange played a crucial role in connecting different regions of the world and stimulating economic growth.

Slavery

The emergence of the African slavery trade can be attributed to various reasons, which led to the increased demand for labor in the New World:

1. One of the primary factors was the necessity for a cheap and abundant workforce that could be obtained without significant financial investment in terms of wages.
2. Another key factor was that Africans had a higher resistance to diseases that were prevalent in the Old World. This made them more suitable for labor-intensive work in the New World, where these diseases posed a significant threat to the indigenous labor force.
3. Additionally, the availability of a large number of African slaves and the forceful means by which they were transported further facilitated the growth of the African slavery trade. The demand for labor in the New World was met through the capture and transportation of Africans across the Atlantic.

These factors combined to create a system of African slavery that played a crucial role in meeting the labor demands of the New World economies.

Food and Plants

Plants and animals from the New World were brought to the Old World, and vice versa, resulting in a significant exchange of flora and fauna between the two regions.

The European diet (Old World) was greatly enriched with the introduction of new foods such as tomatoes, corn, potatoes, peppers, squash, and beans, which added diversity and nutritional value to their meals.

Simultaneously, the Americas (New World) saw the introduction of wheat, sugar, cattle, horses, pigs, sheep, and chickens from Europe, which had a profound impact on the agricultural practices and food culture of the region.

Invisible Invaders: Illness and Disease

An even more significant and devastating impact on the New World was the unforeseen introduction of diseases brought by European explorers.

These diseases, including Smallpox, Typhus, and Measles, spread rapidly among the native populations, resulting in a catastrophic loss of life. It is estimated that these diseases were responsible for the decimation of approximately 50-90% of the indigenous people in the New World.

Fall of the Aztecs & Incas