Columbian Exchange
We are crushed to the ground; we lie in ruins. There is nothing but grief and suffering in Mexico and Tlatelolco,
where once we saw beauty and valor.
—from “Flowers and Songs of Sorrow,” anonymous
Aztec poet, (c. 1521–1540)
Learning Objectives
- D: Explain the causes of the Columbian Exchange and its effects on the Eastern and Western Hemispheres.
A s the excerpt from the poem above suggests, initial contact and the
subsequent conquest and colonization of the Americas proved disastrous for the native peoples. Overpowered by superior weapons and decimated by disease, many native populations declined, dissipated, or were forced to submit to new rulers and a new religion.
Although European conquest seriously damaged entire native societies and their ways of life, eventually new ways of life developed out of the interaction of three broad traditions of culture: indigenous American, European, and African. In the process, the Eastern and Western Hemispheres became linked in a new way, sharing disease, foods, and animals. For the role Christopher Columbus played in establishing the link, these interactions became known as the Columbian Exchange.
The Columbian Exchange had far-reaching effects beyond dramatic changes in population and biodiversity. It also contributed to a changing global economy, sometimes with unintended consequences. For example, Spain successfully mined silver in the Americas. However, this silver sparked inflation in Spain, which contributed to the downfall of the Spanish Empire.
Sections
Diseases and Population Catastrophe
Animals and Foods
Cash Crops and Forced Labor
African Presence in the Americas
Environmental and Demographic Impact
Think As a Historian: THINK AS A HISTORIAN: IDENTIfY EvIDENCE IN AN ARGUMENT
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Reflect
REFLECT ON THE TOPIC ESSENTIAL QUESTION
1. In one to three paragraphs, explain the causes of the Columbian Exchange and its effects on the Eastern and Western Hemispheres.
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