Two Worlds Meet for the First Time

After Columbus’ arrival in the Americas, animal, plant and bacterial life began to mix Europeans brought new diseases to Native Americans which crippled their population. Europeans brought plants and animals to the New World Plants and animals from the New World were taken back to Europe which spread to Asia and Africa. The Columbian Exchange had dramatic effects on the entire world

Soon after 1492, settlers brought new diseases to the Natives. Smallpox, measles, mumps, whooping cough, influenza, chicken pox, typhus Native Americans had no immunity to these new diseases Between 1492 and 1650, perhaps 90 percent of the Native Americans had died. The shrinking Native population led to a growth in colonies as settlers now found it easier to claim more land

The Europeans brought new crops and plants to the Americas. Wheat, oats, barley, rye, rice, coffee, tea, sugar cane, dandelions, onions, bananas, apples, oranges, and other citrus fruits Sugar becomes the mainstay of Caribbean and Brazilian economies. Rice, cotton, and tobacco forms the basis of many slave societies in the United States

Europeans brought over domestic livestock to the Americas Chickens, cattle, goats, pigs, sheep, horses. Natives had few domesticated animals, and none weighing more than 100lbs. The horse revolutionized Native American life, allowing tribes to hunt buffalo far more effectively. Other animals provided meat, tallow, hides, transportation and hauling.

The flow of disease from the Americas into Eurasia and Africa was not significant. Native Americans did not have many contagious diseases that could be passed to the new settlers. Unlike European diseases, Native American illnesses did not lead to a catastrophic collapse of the European population.

Corn was brought back to Spain and spread across Europe, and then into Asia and Africa. Other crops included squash, pumpkins, beans, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, chili peppers, peanuts, chocolate, potatoes and tobacco The potato had an enormous effect on European society New foods became staples of human diets and new growing regions opened up for crops.

Unlike the huge effect that plants had on other parts of the world, American animals had little effect at all. One domesticated animal that did have an effect was the turkey. Raccoons were fancied for their furs.

Native Americans taught the Europeans local farming methods. Europeans adopted devices invented by the Natives such as the canoe, the snowshoe, the hammock and the poncho Europeans introduced the Native Americans to metalworking, new techniques of shipbuilding, and new forms of weapons, including firearms.

Before the Columbian Exchange there were no: Oranges in Florida Bananas in Ecuador Tomatoes in Italy Coffee in Colombia Pineapples in Hawaii Cattle in Texas Chili Peppers in India Cigarettes in France Chocolate in Switzerland Potatoes in Ireland

Take a few moments to think about how the Columbian Exchange still affects you today in Write down a couple notes/ sentences answering the following question: How is your life still affected by the exchange in crops, animals, diseases and goods that took place between the Old and New World during the Columbian Exchange?