The following paragraph supports the idea of the Columbian Exchange having more positive effects than negatives on food and disease exchanges between Afroeurasia and Americas. These sources offer comprehensive and objective information about the Columbian Exchange, its impact on American people, and how it affected them. They consider both the short-term and long-term benefits of this global trading. They have different primary interests. Alfred Crosby’s works tend to be more about the biological effects and not the food-related. Ryan and Gray, Ryan and Ryan and Ryan and Carney, respectively, focus on both the goods and food-related aspects. McNeill and Mann are equally thorough.
Columbian Exchange was trade between Europeans in goods and illnesses. The Columbian Exchange was established in 1492 by Christopher Columbus, the explorer. The new crops, livestock and livestock were able to thrive in each landmass and offered a variety of food options. However, diseases, a negative transferee, caused massive death among the native population. It was not the Europeans who suffered from this problem, as the Amerindians had fewer diseases. Many of these diseases were Old World-related. The Beringian land bridge was used by the Amerindians to cross the Beringian. This bridge existed during a time of mass glaciation. It eliminated most of the disease risk. People who would become Europeans didn’t experience this effect as much because they lived in warmer regions with greater numbers of people sharing diseases. For millennia the people who settled in America were separated from Afro-Eurasia. They did not contract the multitude of diseases that were shared between the Afro-Eurasians. Smallpox and measles, as well as chickenpox and influenza, yellow fever, and malaria were all easily fatal to Native Americans.
These natives became immune to the Europeans’ food and increased their population. Although disease was a major problem in the New World and Old World, there were also more favourable products traded. These favourable effects were experienced by different domesticable animals, plants, and Old World crops like wheat, barley and rice. One of these animals was the horse, which allowed natives to hunt more efficiently and effectively for large numbers of animals, or have greater combat power (Malone Gray, Ross, Ryan).
Many species of domesticated and wild animals were transported between the Old World and New World in Columbian Exchange. Multiple animals were sent between landmasses, which would have an impact on the New World’s normal work-and-combat tactics. One example is the “transformations and revolutionizings of labor,” which saw many cattle being trained to pull plows (Malone Gray Ross Ryan). This trade across the Atlantic has shown us the differences in the domestication rates of natives and whites.
“The vast differences in the animals from the Atlantic sides was remarkable… The natives had only a few animal servants…Christopher Columbus” brought horses, dogs (Malone Gray Ross Ryan). These animals also had an impact on food, which was amazing. The European pigs were “reproduced the fastest” and served as meat to the explorers (Malone Gray, Ross and Ryan). They were also easily found in the new land within a short time. Cattle were also brought, as they served multiple purposes to their origin people. They were used to feed and hide the cows. The hide was then often returned to their motherland.
The Europeans and native Americans traded animals. However, crops were also exchanged between them. Three main commodities that were traded were potatoes, maize, sugarcane. Sugarcane can be made into sugar, making it a valuable commodity during this period. It was multipurposed, like cattle. It could be used for coffee, tea or chocolate.
The exchange between the Old World & New World was made possible by maize. American corn, also known as maize, was widely used. Its ability to be stored/dried in many regions and its similarity with wheat were just two of the reasons. This crop can be grown in places where wheat cannot.
Last major crop was potatoes. The resistance of potatoes to certain weather conditions made them useful. They were also “cheap food that sailors could eat” (Malone Gray Ryan Ross). This new plant was introduced to Europe and many European countries became dependent upon it, including Ireland.
The Columbian Exchange’s most disastrous effect was the spread of disease. America was nearly disease-free before Europeans arrived. This is because of the Bering Land Bridge’s cold and the previous glaciation period. Many diseases were introduced by European domesticated species, which resulted in the spread of smallpox. The epidemics had devastating effects: Many natives died due to their inability to fight them. The Europeans used African slaves as a means to create a labour shortage.
The decrease in America’s native population and overall decline in America’s human population led to an environmental recovery. Animals previously hunted were reintroduced and forests were replanted (McNeill). Although diseases can be a problem, the new crops, animals, plants, and plants that will change America and Europe over the next century far outweigh them. Both the economic and biological effects of disease are as beneficial as their negative counterparts. Columbus set out to introduce crops that would thrive. The Americas received grains like wheat, barley, rye, and other grains. It was also a good year for Mediterranean crops like bananas, sugar, and citrus fruit. America was helped economically by cotton, tobacco and rice crops. It was the foundation for slavery to flourish in America. While slavery did have a negative impact in Africa, there is no doubt that it had a positive effect on America’s economic performance.
Americas received animals just like crops. Many animals were introduced to the country for various purposes. Some were introduced primarily to eat, such as sheep, goats and cattle. This was not only for food but also a major shift in America’s economy. Today, there are economies that depend on ranching. Other purposes, such as the horse, were served by others. Native Americans’ lives were revolutionized by the introduction to America of the horse. It was able to transport buffalos and also be used for more efficient hunting (McNeill).
Afro-Eurasia was also benefited. The Eurasia and South Africa impacts of native Amerindian crops were significant. Both Eurasia was home to corn and potatoes, which are important crops in South Africa. The staple crop corn was a staple in many areas, including North Africa. However, South Africa was where it had the greatest impact. It was the only crop that could be grown in 75% of all the available cropland. Similar, if not more, impact was also experienced by the potato. The crop thrived in Northern Europe.
The crop’s success led the country to experience a significant increase in its population. This population growth helped to lay the foundations for important developments like European imperialism and the Industrial Revolution. The importance of smaller crops was also noted. Nearly every country in the world has at least one American-grown crop. These crops were introduced to supplement existing crops. “By the mid-20th century, around one-third the world’s food supply had come from plants grown in America.” (McNeill).
All food imported from Europe is valuable as it is rare and not common in the New World. Antonio de Rivera’s story about his olive seedlings and the many he brought from Europe is one of my favorites. His colony in Peru, which was irrigated, was believed to be able to grow olive trees. He brought many seedlings from Spain on one of his travels between Spain and the colony. Unfortunately, only two to three of the seedlings survived the trip. They were highly valued and closely guarded. One was taken and transported to Chile (Crosby). Despite that, both places were able to create a substantial olive-oil industry in the fertile Valleys along South America’s Pacific coast. This is only one example of how some crop was fully utilized.
Nearly all of the Americas’ inhabitants died from any type of disease.
One example would be destruction of Espanola’s native peoples in 1520 (Crosby). Christopher Columbus ruled Europe and brought with him Europeans who arrived in the Americas. The natives were alerted to new diseases and the population began to decline. These diseases were not previously known to any native population that had come in contact with the Europeans.
The aborigines died out, along with their Arawak brothers in Puerto Rico, Cuba, and Jamaica (Crosby). They were soon followed into oblivion by “their Arawak brother(s)” (Crosby). Their diseases were accidentally introduced by Europeans. The native population was already immune to them, so they didn’t pay any attention. These deadly diseases led to the death of the natives. Columbus had to make arrangements to bring any slaves back to Spain to be able to claim the Natives.
The Americas and Eurasia had been separated for centuries until the 1492 explorations. The New World was home to crops, domesticated livestock, and pathogens. Amerindian crops also made it to Eurasia, Africa. Nearly all Old World plants, animals, and crops thrived in this new environment. Amerindian animal exports had a less significant impact than Amerindian crops and Old World animals. The staple crops of hundreds of millions, including Africans, Asians, and Europeans alike, were maize, potatoes and squashes as well as chiles and chiles.
These crops were also able to support a rise in Old World population. Both the Old World environment and the New World environment were very similar. The New World environment was adapted to all species of plants, crops, animals. However, the New World wasn’t able to adapt to Old World pathogens or germs. This caused a temporary drop in population. But, over time, the population begins to recover (Crosby). The New World and Old World were able to exchange crops and animals because the population had recovered. The exchange was a success with little downside.
The geographic separation of sub-life and species (viruses), has long been the cause of biodiversity (Crosby). The last glaciation period saw the Bering Land Bridge elevated above the sea level so that animals could cross it. This was when the Old World and New World were linked. While humans crossed to hunt prey, the exchange between the worlds was minimal and didn’t involve plants. Although the Vikings discovered New World, the next exchange took place (Crosby), it was small scale and not significant to the history of the world.
But, the most significant was the one that occurred when Christopher Columbus (an explorer who sought power and wealth for his country) discovered the Americas. He and subsequent European New World explorers travelled back and forth a vast array of animals and plants, which resulted in dramatic changes in both the environment and the diets of the inhabitants of the three landmasses (Crosby).
The Columbian Exchange did more than simply allow for the exchange of animals or plants. The Columbian Exchange also included an exchange of cropping system (Carney 2001). Some crops were introduced into the New World as part of the Columbian Exchange. It also required labor to harvest those crops. A new source of labor was required due to the decline in native population from disease. Coerced labor came from Africa. African migrants brought rice and they planted it wherever they chose.
The Columbian Exchange had a significant impact on the Americas’ native population, as well as the homeland of the explorers. It was also the beginning of mass production for many of the crops brought home from Europe. In the Mediterranean region, beans and maize were starting to appear in rural areas. “Plots in Italy of American maize, and carpets in Spain of American beans” (Mann). Some countries in Europe are becoming more dependent on American agricultural products. This is evident in Ireland.
Their primary food source was the American potato, which was also their most important export to the rest of the world. As the winters became more severe and longer, potatoes stopped growing. The Potato Famine, which occurred in Ireland, left most people without food. However, this led to a drastic drop in population in countries that were too dependent upon their crops.
The rise in agricultural activity led to an increase of industrialization and development throughout Europe (Mann).
This is why Columbian Exchange is considered the most important event since the extinction dinosaurs. The Columbian Exchange saw a great deal of plant exchange that would eventually spread all over the globe. “The Columbian Exchange…is how tomatoes are found in Italy, oranges in America, chocolates, Swiss, and Thai chili peppers” (Mann).
The Columbian Exchange’s emphasis on race and the importance of differences was perhaps the greatest influence. The Americas were more open to diversity in race. The top of the hierarchy was the castas of Spaniards from Spain (peninsulares), then came the castas of those who were born there (creoles), as well as those born to mixed-race unions or Mestizos and Indians. This system was fluid, even though it was challenging. Blood did not necessarily correlate with social status.
It is evident from the extensive analyses of Columbian Exchange presented by seven sources that it was beneficial to all parties during that time period and for the future. The transfer of diseases, animals, and plants between populations (one being the Europeans and one being the natives) had a significant impact on society during that time period. It still has today. Although disease was a problem for the New World peoples and a nuisance for the Old, it was manageable and they managed to overcome the illness. Additionally, they were able to eat healthier and live longer thanks to the Columbian Exchange.
This is not true. However, the New World and Old World traded deadly diseases that the indigenous population hadn’t yet encountered and had become immune to. This led to a decline in America’s population. However, it grew over time. The Columbian Exchange offered Europe the diversity of food needed to produce a growing population and a surplus food supply that allowed them to urbanize and industrialize. The Columbian Exchange would have prevented Europe from becoming more industrialized. The exchange can be seen to have had a positive or negative impact on both the civilizations.