Plants During The Columbian Exchange

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The Columbian Exchange is a timeframe during which the cultural and biological exchanges were conducted between the New and Old Worlds. Exchanges between Europeans and Native Americans of items such as plants, animals, diseases, and technology had a dramatic impact on lives on each side of Atlantic. Initiated with Columbus’ discovery in 1492 the exchange lasted throughout the years of expansion and discovery. Improvements in agricultural production, increased mortality rates, evolution of warfare, and education were a few illustrations of the consequences of Columbian Exchange on both Europeans and Native Americans. Diseases as the Negative Exchange Even though the Columbian Exchange is known to be very beneficial in terms of technology and …show more content…

There were numerous plants that were exchanged but at the core of all of them were potato and maize. Indeed, potato that is an essential ration in everyday lives was not discovered until the period of Columbus Exchange. Other new plants discovered in Americans included beans, squash, chili peppers, sunflowers, peanuts, tomatoes, avocado, and cacao. Potato became an essential in European diet in a very short period of time. It was mainly used as a cheap food for lower class population of Europe. Because of the weak European soil, potato was the only option they had at a time and later on it became the core product that nations would feed on. Maize was also important crop from the New World during the Columbian Exchange. Because of its long lasting characteristics maize was perfect for storing it away in case some years the harvest will not be as plenty as hoped for. Technology as a Final Piece of Exchange Historians outline four major aspects when they talk about technological exchanges during the period. Particularly, they list a written alphabet, new farming capabilities, new firearm and weapon capabilities, and architectural ingenuity as the changes that were profoundly impacted between New World and Old

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