Negative Effects Of American Exploration

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The impact of the massive European exploration in North and South American was felt not only were they had explored, but internationally. From the agricultural improvements made in South Africa, to the horses brought to Argentina by the conquistadors, the European explorations transformed society and culture intercontinentally. The positive effects of the European explorations impacted the entire world; the livestock and agriculture brought back from the Americas enhanced the source of revenue for millions. The explorers introduced food to Europe that could endure the harsh conditions that were present, and spices that heightened the economies of many European nations. This is exemplified by the introduction spices and other cash crop items.…show more content…
The enslavement of African and Native people illustrates how the explorers did not view people different from them as equals. From a European standpoint, the natives were seen as savages and inferior to the European man and thus needed to be converted to Christianity in order to change them from their “barbarous” traditions. Other explorers saw it as a duty or Gods will to come to the New World and convert the Natives for God. The native people were perceived as lower, so they were captured and used as slaves or killed because of the explorer’s ideology of European dominance. The arrival of conquistadors spreading more fatal diseases and the usage of advanced weaponry led to most of the Americas being conquered unchallenged. Although these immoral events occurred, there were some positive aspects, such as the introduction of the horse. The European discovery of this animal transformed how the natives hunted and how they transported fruit, vegetables, and spices. Many native American tribes disliked and resented the explorers for what they had done, but a small portion of the natives in North America were friendly to the settlers, and the settlers were pleasant in return. This act of mutualism was displayed by the natives who helped the Jamestown and Plymouth colonies and the French explorers who had relied on the Canadian Indians to find natural resources and help them with…show more content…
Overall, it was positive for the Europeans because of the expansion of their massive empire and the new valuable goods they found like gold, silver, spices, and crops that could survive the conditions of Europe. Some native tribes flourished after the Europeans arrived, like the Canadian Indians who had helped the French, and were respected and were treated fairly in return. Most of the negatively affected areas were Africa and South America. Along with the introduction of foreign illnesses and diseases like the flu, typhus, and smallpox, most of the natives were killed and the conquistadors conquered these lands and enslaved the people. Unfortunately, the Africans had a similar fate. The booming diseases combined with the poor living conditions made most of them not survive the journey from Africa to the New World. The ones who didn’t die still lived a terrible life; they were forced work as slaves on plantations or worked in gold and silver mines. European exploration changed society and culture around the globe and affected every empire. Even today, we still feel the lasting effects of European

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