Columbian Exchange Research Paper

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Nasreen Ravat United States History Ms East 31st November, 2015 The Columbian Exchange The Columbian exchange was the broad exchange of livestock, plants, society, human populations, innovation and thoughts between the old and the new world. This occurred in the 15th and 16th centuries; this was related with the European colonization and exchange after Christopher Columbus 1492 voyage. Christopher Columbus a son of an Italian weaver from the Italian port of Genoa, was an Italian explorer and navigator. He was important because he discovered the New world and launched series of expeditions. Columbus exploration of the New world opened it up for the Spanish conquest, which resulted in huge amounts…show more content…
The natives suffered a great loss of losing their crops that were destroyed. Also, overgrazing was a major impact as herds of sheep were the reason for the transformation of grasslands. According to The Indian Homeland, “Columbus never kept track of the eight pigs he took to the Caribbean settlement of Hispaniola in 1493” (EBSCO 1 of 1). The pigs breed and were used to trade and slaughtered. Pigs were served as eat for the explorers. “Hernando De’ Soto brought pigs to what is now the United States, the 13 hogs that landed in Florida with him in 1539 multiplied to 700 in the three years he crossed the South”(EBSCO 1 of 1). Due to the Columbian exchange pigs were introduced to the new world. The Columbian exchange also involved the spreading of some diseases such as small pox, measles, malaria, yellow fever, influenza, syphilis polio, hepatitis and encephalitis. According to the Enduring Vision, “After 1942, vast number of Native Americans died because they lacked antibodies that could resist infectious diseases brought by Europeans and Africans” (Boyer page 38). Most natives died due to the illnesses. These diseases were either airborne and…show more content…
Some of the symptoms of small pox included high fever, vomiting and sores on the skin. Most Europeans had an immune system that could withstand the small pox. Furthermore, the Indians were not the only victims of contacting diseases but the people from the old world as well; the natives transferred sexual transmitted disease such as syphilis. Thousands of Europeans were killed by this disease. In reference to the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, “indigenous peoples suffered from white brutality, alcoholism, the killing and driving off game and the expropriation of farmland” (Cosby 2 of 4). The natives were being maltreated by the people of the new world. However, “the small pox epidemic was the worst and the most spectacular of the infectious diseases mowing down the native Americans”( Crosby 2 of 4). Farming was also involved during the Columbian exchange, new farming skills were used such as ploughing using a plow. The plow was very essential as it cultivated large pieces of land resulting in a surplus harvest for both the people of the new world and old world. Animals played a fundamental role to the farming system such as horses

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