Positive And Negative Effects Of The Columbian Exchange

The Columbian Exchange was created for cultural and biological exchanges between the Old and New worlds. It was strictly a sea trade system that began in the 1500’s by Christopher Columbus to trade several items. The trade included a variety of animals, plants, human populations, diseases, technology and traditions or ideas. The exchange of these items impacted everyone on both sides of the Atlantic on several aspects. Christopher Columbus discovered the New World in 1492 and claimed ownership. He initiated the sea trade by bringing New World plants to Europe to be examined, soon the trade advanced to transporting larger items such as animals and people. The transportation of people allowed for different cultures to be exchanged throughout

In Europe, because of new crops, there was an increase in food supply and nutrients. Potatoes and corn became a major food source, which allowed a substantial population increase from the diseases introduced by the New World and their life expectancies became longer. The Agricultural Revolution flourished during the recuperation of the New and Old worlds because it involved new methods in crop production that was exchanged. After the diseases reduced, the world’s population was better in several aspects. The population was better nourished, survivors acquired natural immunities from the diseases, and eventually the diseases mutated so they would not kill everyone. Although there were several positive impacts on the populations, there were several negative effects as well. The Native American population decreased dramatically from transmittable diseases, mainly smallpox, and warfare from the Europeans. Human slavery became the universal method for replenishing natives. The lack of the native population was taking its toll on the land, therefore was filled by using useful labor or African slaves to work on the plantations in the New