The Europeans Discovery of the Americas

The Europeans discovery of the Americas was the catalyst for global integration and the beginning of the Columbian Exchange between the old and new worlds. When the Europeans arrived in the western hemisphere they brought with them crops like wheat, rice, bananas, sugar, and wine grapes. Europeans also brought several different types of animals to the New World, including horses, cattle, pigs, sheep, and fowl. The introduction of these new crops and animals to the native Americans brought both positive and negative results to the Native Americans. The new animals demolished their croplands but proved to be a beneficial supplier of food, clothing, and energy.

Europeans come across indigenous plants, regularly grown by Native Americans, such as potatoes, beans, squash, and maize (corn). The Europeans brought these goods back to Europe with them. Some of these plants were so enhanced with nutrition than what the Old World plants had. That it sparked a considerable large increase in the size of the population. The Columbian Exchange had significant impacts on both European and Native American societies. The exchange of goods brought new opportunities for European farmers and business people. While the introduction to horses, pigs, wheat, and cattle open new doors for the natives in ways of food source and production.

The Columbian Exchange brought many advantages to both the western and eastern hemisphere. It also brought catastrophic consequences. With the exchange of goods and people, brought diseases. The Native Americans suffered a significant loss to tribal members from diseases like smallpox and measles brought to the western hemisphere by Europeans. While the Europeans became victims to the new world disease syphilis. Both the Native Americans and Europeans endured social and biological effects due to the exposure.

The Columbian Exchange was the most noteworthy exchange of various types of people, plants, and animals and the most important historical event in the history of the world. The Columbian Exchange could be contemplated to have both positive and negative results. Some of the positive results are the agricultural growth because of the introduction of new crops. The use of the potato and other routinely eaten plants from the new world was a big part of the population boom and the development of the eastern hemisphere. This increased the qualities of life in the Old Word. The interchange of cattle also significantly improved the chances for the colonists and Native Americans in the way of production and farming.

Even though the Columbian Exchange brought positive results, some results were negative. The mistreatment of the Native Americans by the European settlers. Also, the transmittable diseases that were brought over to the New World from the Old World that plagued the Native Americans and even wiped out entire tribes. The Columbian Exchange had an undoubtedly negative effect on the African slaves. The Columbian Exchange is the foundation for what we call America today. Even with all the negatives that the Columbian Exchange brought, like diseases, slavery, decimated crops, and violence. The global integration of people, ideas, plants, and livestock is what formed the society we live in today.

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