The Columbian Exchange
About the Columbian Exchange-
The Columbian Exchange- the global diffusion of plants, food crops, animals, human populations, and disease pathogens that took place after voyages of exploration by Christopher Columbus and other European mariners.
- It had very significant consequences
- It involved land that had radically different flora (the plants), fauna (the animals), and diseases. The Europeans created links between the eastern hemisphere, western hemisphere, and Oceania. These links set off a round of biological exchange that permanently altered the world's human geography and natural environment.
Diseases-
In the Eastern hemisphere epidemics from diseases weren't much of a problem because the people had been exposed to them and the people had inherited immunities. Some diseases claimed the lives of many children in Europe, but because they didn't carry away adults (who were mostly responsible for economic production and social organization), it wasn't a huge problem that became widespread and it didn't affect the economy.
Over a long term however the Columbian exchange increased rather than diminished human population because of the global spread of food crops and animals that it sponsored.
- When diseases traveled to previously unexposed populations, they touched off ferocious epidemics that sometimes destroyed entire societies.
- Imported diseases took their worst tolls in densely populated areas like the Aztec and Inca empires because of all of the people that were in one location. Smallpox and other diseases were so easily transmissible that they traveled everywhere.
- Epidemic smallpox ravaged the Aztec empire, often in combination with other diseases. There were very drastic effects from the diseases. The indigenous population of Mexica declined by 95 percent, from about 21 million to 1 million. This affected the economy because so many people died, that there were very few people continuing to work or perform their required duties, causing problems for the survivors of the diseases and the rest of the population.
- Disease epidemics sparked by the Columbian exchange probably caused the worst demographic calamity in all of world history. Between 1500 and 1800 more that one hundred million people may have died of diseases imported into the Americas and Pacific Islands.
Over a long term however the Columbian exchange increased rather than diminished human population because of the global spread of food crops and animals that it sponsored.
Crops and Animals-
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Above are two pictures that include crops that were native to the Old World (Europe, Africa, and Asia) and also native to the New World (The Americas). These crops were transported to the other location and very influential on the society.
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Migrations and Population-
Alongside disease pathogens and plant and animal species, the Columbian exchange involved the spread of human populations through migrations.
These migrations have profoundly influenced world history, including even modern world history.
- The migrations were either voluntary or involuntary.
- The largest contingent of migrations consisted of enslaved Africans transported involuntarily to South American, North American, and Caribbean destinations. A smaller migration included Europeans who traveled to the Americas and settled there. European people traveled mostly to the western hemisphere in the nineteenth century, but also to south Africa, Australia, and Pacific islands. Asian people migrated to tropical and subtropical destination throughout much of the world.
These migrations have profoundly influenced world history, including even modern world history.
Video about the Columbian Exchange-
Crash Course Video
Comparison-
A comparison that can be made about the Columbian exchange is the fast-ripening rice that became present in Tang and Song China. The introduction of the fast-ripening rice in Tang and Song China had a large effect on the diets of people and expanding the food supply as well as increasing the population. This is similar to the Columbian exchange.
- With both fast-ripening rice and the Columbian exchange, crops were introduced to new lands and to new populations, providing them with a larger food supply and in both cases enriching the peoples' diets. There were multiple crops exchanged with the Columbian exchange that enriched diets and provided a larger food supply, but one example that can be compared to the rice are the American bean varieties that added protein to Eurasian diets.
- Another effect that was similar between the fast-ripening rice and the Columbain exchange crops was that they both increased human population. With the rice, the Chinese population rapidly increased and expanded, and with the Columbian exchange the world population increased. The population increases were due to the fact that larger populations could now be supported and the nutrition value was greater for the food, and so people were healthier.
Collage Board Themes-
Theme 1: Interactions Between Humans and the Environment-
This theme applies to my topic because with the Columbian Exchange there were people that migrated to new places. There were migrants consisting of enslaved Africans that were moved to different destinations and Europeans traveled to the Americas. The demography of locations changed too because of the migration of people. New things such as diseases, crops, and animals were introduced to different places and so people suffered from new diseases yet some populations ended up thriving from the new food sources available to them. The demography in some places fluctuated greatly in the many years following the Columbian Exchange.
Theme 3: State Building, Expansion, and Conflict-
This theme applies to my topic because nations expanded their realm and explored new places with the Columbian exchange. Europeans explored the Americas, the western hemisphere, as well as south Africa, Australia, and Pacific islands. Enslaved Africans were transported to new and different locations, which expanded their influence and where they were positioned and used (they were used in more places- expansion).
Theme 4: Creation, Expansion, and Interaction of Economic Systems-
This theme applies to my topic because agriculture was a major part of the Columbian exchange. Many crops, as well as animals, were introduced to new locations, which completely changed the agriculture of many societies. For example, because horses were introduced to the natives of the Americas, they were able to become more nomadic and less dependent on their agricultural lifestyles, yet residents in the eastern hemisphere gradually included maize and potatoes into a major part of their diet, which changed the agricultural traditions. These are only few examples of how agriculture was involved in the Columbian exchange.
Theme 1: Interactions Between Humans and the Environment-
This theme applies to my topic because with the Columbian Exchange there were people that migrated to new places. There were migrants consisting of enslaved Africans that were moved to different destinations and Europeans traveled to the Americas. The demography of locations changed too because of the migration of people. New things such as diseases, crops, and animals were introduced to different places and so people suffered from new diseases yet some populations ended up thriving from the new food sources available to them. The demography in some places fluctuated greatly in the many years following the Columbian Exchange.
Theme 3: State Building, Expansion, and Conflict-
This theme applies to my topic because nations expanded their realm and explored new places with the Columbian exchange. Europeans explored the Americas, the western hemisphere, as well as south Africa, Australia, and Pacific islands. Enslaved Africans were transported to new and different locations, which expanded their influence and where they were positioned and used (they were used in more places- expansion).
Theme 4: Creation, Expansion, and Interaction of Economic Systems-
This theme applies to my topic because agriculture was a major part of the Columbian exchange. Many crops, as well as animals, were introduced to new locations, which completely changed the agriculture of many societies. For example, because horses were introduced to the natives of the Americas, they were able to become more nomadic and less dependent on their agricultural lifestyles, yet residents in the eastern hemisphere gradually included maize and potatoes into a major part of their diet, which changed the agricultural traditions. These are only few examples of how agriculture was involved in the Columbian exchange.