Effects Of The Columbian Exchange

527 Words3 Pages

Chris Drumheller
August 21, 2014
Advanced U.S. / VA History
Mrs. Fails

Effects of the Columbian Exchange on the World

The Columbian Exchange changed nearly every society on Earth. Without it, the products of the world would be completely different. Foods, animals, and farming techniques were transported between the New World and the Old World; yet diseases and slavery were transferred between the two worlds. The Columbian Exchange helped construct the modern way of life; yet, at the same time, it destroyed the timeworn way of life in both the new and old world.
By exchanging goods, life, generally, improved. Many animals were introduced to the Americas, including pigs and horses. This was great for the Native Americans because before they had no true source of meat, then the pigs and cows came; the native population had the possibility to grow and cities could be made. In addition, prior to the Columbian Exchange, the Indians had no beast of burden, everything had to be carried and plowed by hand, then the horse came along and changed everything. Goods were, also, introduced to Europe, such as the tomato and potatoes, and eventually caused a growth in …show more content…

With colonization comes colonists working the land; when people begin to work they want other people to work for them-for free. Unfortunately the colonists got what they wanted, slaves. This transfer of slaves from Africa to the Americas was brutal and caused many effects including the American Civil War and the Civil Rights Movement of the latter half of the twentieth century. Also, the colonist eventually became naturalized to the Americas, further population the New World. Even though negative actions did take place, positive ones did as well. Catholicism was brought by the Spanish and French and the Anglican Church was brought by the English, giving Christianity a firm foothold in the

Open Document