The Columbian Exchange

New World Old World North and South America Europe, Asia, Africa

Columbian Exchange The transfer of plants, animals and diseases between the New World and the Old World.

How would our world be different today without the Columbian Exchange? NEW WORLD OLD WORLD PLANTS ANIMALS DISEASE PLANTS ANIMALS DISEASE How would our world be different today without the Columbian Exchange?

Columbian Exchange GOOD BAD Increased Variety in food means healthier diets Helps people be healthier Potato helps population grow in Africa New grains in New World rather than just corn New World gains domesticated animals Food, labor, etc. Disease to the New World

GAME!

Disease in the New World As many as 90% of the population was wiped out by disease Infected Indians fled to other villages Carrying the disease Why so much disease in the Old World and not in the New World? American cities were more clean than European cities Indians didn’t have cattle and pigs at all, let alone in their homes

Why did disease affect Natives so much? Native Americans didn’t have immunities They had very few serious diseases in their population, so they weren’t used to fighting bacteria and viruses

Why was there so much disease in the Old World? Native American cities were more clean than European cities Indians didn’t have cattle and pigs at all, let alone in their homes