Christopher_Columbus_&_the_Columbian_Exchange

Christopher Columbus, a experienced sailor, obsessed with obtaining support for his scheme to sail west across the Atlantic Ocean to reach China and Japan, convinced that it was possible to reach riches of the east by sailing west. On October 12, 1492 Columbus landed on a tiny Caribbean island about three hundred miles north of the eastern tip of Cuba. There he confronted natives called Tainos; this was a tremendous discovery, this event ignited a spark of exploration. In spite of finding a completely new continent he went to his grave believing he had found a new way to Asia, but in actuality he did not. Despite Columbus’s lack of success in locating the Asian mainland by sailing west, by initiating the Columbian exchange, his arrival in the Caribbean had profound and lasting impact on both the Old and New Worlds. The effects from Columbus’s arrival in the Caribbean islands can be cited in the following, the importance of his Columbian exchange, the Old and New Worlds gains and losses because of his exchange, and the true frontrunner of the exchange. By definition, the term “Columbian Exchange” refers to the transfer of peoples, animals, plants, and disease between the Old and New Worlds. The Columbian Exchange implemented many new things that have forever changed both the culture of the American Indians and the Europeans. This exchange was initiated by Christopher Columbus and his voyages but was continued by virtually every explorer thereafter. The major areas that the Exchange influenced are the areas of animals, plants, and disease. These products changed the social and the way of life for the Indian and European world eternally. The Columbian exchange was both mutually beneficial and detrimental to the Europeans and the Native Americans and their homelands. The exchange of indigenous crops was one example. The Indians shared their maize, potatoes, legumes, chocolate, squash and ways of farming and agriculture. The introduction of European livestock had a dramatic impact on the environments and the cultures of the New World. Since they were faced with few natural predators, cattle, pigs, horses, and sheep multiplied rapidly on the open spaces of the Americas. The Europeans also brought all together a new form of trade from the homeland, disease. This had an enormous impact on the American civilizations. Diseases such as small pox, influenza, and measles were epidemic to the societies in America. Syphilis was a contracted disease that came back with Old World explorers to there home due to sexual encounters with the native women. So the exchange had both its pros and cons when dealing with trade. There is no doubt that the contact between Europeans and indigenous peoples transformed both peoples in immeasurable ways. It is easier to recognize the impact Europeans had on Native peoples because many of the changes that they imposed still exist today, and most indigenous cultures have been exterminated. However, not to say that native peoples of North and South America did not influence Europeans. In fact they had huge impacts on the way Europeans viewed the world economically, politically, and culturally. Most obvious was the economical opportunities that existed in the New World. Overall the Europeans gained the most out of this exchange, while the Indians were basically left with nothing and nearly exterminated, so this can be considered a negative impact. This exchange between Europeans and Indians has had a severe impact on how life is today in America. An example of this is presented when the Indians began to die due to the abuse and disease, so the Spanish started to bring African slaves to America. Due to the lack of Spanish women in the New World the Spaniards began to mix with the natives and Africans, thus creating a diverse population and a new type of generation. Also if the Europeans had never interfered with the Americas there would be more indigenous people than there is today and life in America would drastically have been different. Advances in society would have been halted and life would continue to remain simple, only dedicated to the necessities instead of wants. In conclusion, the world would have not been the way it is today with the Europeans interference, without this life would simply be the way it was during the time of Beringia; Ancient America. “The Columbian Exchange” Dominic Trevino 8/27/10 History 1301 (EA) Coach White