Columbian Exchange

The Columbian Exchange was the enormous widespread exchange of plants, animals, foods, human populations (including slaves),diseases, and ideas between the Eastern and Western hemispheres. It was one of the most significant events concerning ecology, agriculture, and culture in all of human history.

The Columbian Exchange greatly affected almost every society on earth. Native people had no immunity to disease. Nearly 80 percent of the native population wiped out due to disease.

New crops and livestock supported increases in population. Explorers returned to Europe with maize, potatoes, and tomatoes, which became very important crops in Eurasia by the 18th century. Similarly, Europeans introduced manioc and the peanut to tropical Southeast Asia and West Africa, where they flourished and supported growth in populations on soils that otherwise would not produce large yields.

Forms of Biological Life Going From Diseases: Smallpox Measles Chicken Pox Malaria Yellow Fever Influenza The Common Cold Diseases: Syphilis Old World to New World New World to Old World

Forms of Biological Life going from Animals: Horses Cattle Pigs Sheep Goats Chickens Turkeys Llamas Alpacas Guinea Pigs Old World to New World New World to Old World

Forms of Biological Life Going From Plants: Rice Wheat Barley Oats Coffee Sugarcane Bananas Melons Olives Dandelions Daisies Clover Ragweed Kentucky Bluegrass Plants: Corn (Maize) Potatoes (White & Sweet Varieties) Beans (Snap, Kidney, & Lima Varieties) Tobacco Peanuts Squash Peppers Tomatoes Pumpkins Pineapples Cacao (Source of Chocolate) Chicle (Source of Chewing Gum) Papayas Manioc (Tapioca) Guavas Avocados Old World to New World New World to Old World

Before the Columbian Exchange, there were no oranges in Florida, no bananas in Ecuador, no paprika in Hungary, no tomatoes in Italy, no coffee in Colombia, no pineapples in Hawaii, no rubber trees in Africa, no cattle in Texas, no donkeys in Mexico, no chili peppers in Thailand and India, no cigarettes in France, and no chocolate in Switzerland. The dandelion was brought to America by Europeans for use as an herb.

Aztec drawings of smallpox victims.

Smallpox, the greatest conquistador of all.

The ships of Columbus became the first vessels of the Columbian Exchange, reconnecting the ecosystems of the New and Old Worlds.

Hernán Cortés, Conqueror of the Aztecs.

Francisco Pizarro, Conqueror of the Inca.

Vincent Van Gogh intended his painting The Potato Eaters as a tribute to Dutch peasants, saying "it speaks of manual labor, of how they have honestly earned their food." The food they honestly earned was the potato—native to South America—which provided the cheap calories needed to sustain Europe's working class for centuries.

Slave Trade to New World Demand for slaves to cultivate sugarcane and other crops caused what came to be known as the triangle trade. Ships leaving Europe first stopped in Africa where they traded weapons, ammunition, metal, liquor, and cloth for captives taken in wars or raids. The ships then traveled to America, where slaves were exchanged for sugar, rum, salt, and other island products. The ships returned home loaded with products popular with the European people, and ready to begin their journey again.

An estimated 8 to 15 million Africans reached the Americas from the 16th through the 19th century. Only the youngest and healthiest people were taken for what was called the middle passage of the triangle trade, partly because they would be worth more in America, and partly because they were the most likely to reach their destination alive. Conditions aboard the ship were dreadful. Slaves were jammed into the hull; chained to one another in order to stop revolts; as many as one in five passengers did not survive the journey. When one of the enslaved people was stricken with dysentery or smallpox, they were cast overboard.

Single Crop Economy Colonial rulers in the new world concentrated their efforts at crop production on one successful crop, such as sugar (in Belize and Cuba), or tobacco. These single crop economies had two drawbacks: Creating plantations where slavery became the standard business practice. The poor became poorer, and the slaves lead short, hard lives. When disease or natural disasters destroyed the “single” crop, the economy of that country was severely crippled.

After effects of the Slave Trade The Caribbean and West Indies has many cultural effects from Africa: Mixing of religions from Europe and Africa. Santeria (Cuba). Voo Doo. Mixing of music from Europe and Africa. Reggae. Jazz. Salsa. Mixing of people from Europe and Africa. Truly multi racial peoples. Mestizo, Ladino, Mulattos. Mixing of languages from Europe and Africa. Creole (Haiti).

After Effects of the Colombian Exchange. Single Product Economies – Latin American countries still trying to diversify their economies. Spanish/Portuguese still spoken, along with many mixed languages. Mixing and merging of Roman Catholicism with local religions (Juan Diego and the merging of Aztec religion and Catholic religion). Culture – New “typical” foods, art and music!