The Columbian Exchange EQ: Why would the 'Columbian Exchange‘ be the most important result of European colonization of The Americas?

Spain’s Empire in the Americas By the early 1500’s the Spanish were in the Americas Spanish explorers are called conquistadors and wanted to explore the world.

Spain’s Empire in the Americas Spanish defeated two large Empires to establish themselves as the biggest player in the Americas: Incas in South America Aztecs in Central America (more on them lated)

Spain’s Empire in the Americas There was a social class system in the colonies that was based on birthplace and ethnic group. On the top was the peninsulares-the Spanish colonists born in Spain A Creole was someone who was born to peninsulare parents in the colony A Mestizo was a person who had both Spanish and Native parents The lowest were mulatto, which were people of Spanish and African heritage Spain also gave the colonists encomiedas, and forced the natives to work in the gold and silver mines.

The Columbian Exchange “The Columbian Exchange” is the sharing of cultures that transformed the lives of two continents. Its was a two-way process with people, goods, and ideas moving back and forth. The four main elements are: Disease Animals Plants Religion

The “Columbian Exchange” Squash Avocado Peppers Sweet Potatoes Turkey Pumpkin Tobacco Quinine Cocoa Pineapple Cassava POTATO Peanut TOMATO Vanilla MAIZE Syphilis Trinkets Liquor GUNS Olive COFFEE BEAN Banana Rice Onion Turnip Honeybee Barley Grape Peach SUGAR CANE Oats Citrus Fruits Pear Wheat HORSE Cattle Sheep Pigs Smallpox Flu Typhus Measles Malaria Diptheria Whooping Cough

The Exchange can be positive or negative in its effects In the exchange that was made widespread by Columbus, Disease was the most negative for Indian peoples Fatality rate over a period of two to three generations was 95% for many tribal groups

Europeans believed that it was God’s will that Indians died There was no germ theory at the time of contact Illness in Europe was considered to be the consequence of sin Indians, who were largely “heathen” or non-Christian were regarded as sinners and therefore subject to illness as a punishment

Diseases New World: Old World: Syphilis, polio, hepatitis and encephalitis were New World diseases that infected Europeans. Europeans succumbed to Malaria easily These diseases were NOT airborne, so harder to get. Old World: Smallpox, measles, diphtheria, whooping cough, chicken pox, bubonic plague, scarlet fever and influenza were the most common European disease that were sent to New World Nearly all of the European diseases were communicable by air and touch.

PLANTS Americas Europe Maize Sugar Potato Rice Tomato Wheat Tobacco Beans Cacao Cotton Europe Sugar Rice Wheat Coffee Banana Grapes

Animals Europe Cattle Horse Pigs Sheep Americas Turkey

Religion Europeans wanted to convert “forcefully” sometimes, the natives to Christianity (almost exclusively Catholicism” Spanish developed many “Missions”, or outposts consisting of a church and smaller community to convert the natives’ Missions were the foundation of several American cities: Founders of key USA cities such as San Antonio, El Paso, Santa Fe, Tucson, San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco.

Mercantilism The economy and trade are essential to the health and safety of the nation. Get as much gold and silver as you can. Establish a favorable balance of trade. Get colonies.