The Columbian Exchange was a period where exchanges between the New and Old Worlds took place. There were cultural and biological exchanges and these included plants, animals, diseases and even technology (Crosby, A.). These exchanges not only transformed the European and Native American ways of life but made it easier. The Columbian Exchange not only transformed life but impacted the social and cultural structure of both sides of the World.
Advancements in agricultural production was seen, there was an evolution of warfare, an increased mortality rates and education was also effect by the Columbian Exchange on both the Europeans and Native Americans (Crosby, A.). This exchange began in 1492 with Columbus ‘ discovery but afterwards, the trade lasted throughout the glorious years of expansion and discovery. With the Columbus Exchange, there was a trade up of a lot of items; plants were a big one. The plants involved in the Columbian Exchange changed both the economy and the culture of the New and Old Worlds’. This was because in the Americas’ there was an abundance of new plants discovered by Columbus.
This included but did not limit to beans, squash, chili peppers, sunflowers, peanuts, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, avocado, and pineapple (Crosby, A.). Above and over discovering the New World plants, many plants were brought in from the Old World and this welcomed a huge success in America. Amongst all the crops that were discovered, the most prevalent one was sugar.About 10,000 years ago, sugar coming from sugarcanes, was first to have been originally developed and domesticated in New Guinea. By 700 A.
D., it was seen that sugar was diffused to the Mediterranean region by Islamic expansion and trade as sucrose was viewed as an exotic. .on increase led to colonization and construction of empires with the rural areas being increased and the amount of farm land and private property going up. During this time, population class also divided and labor became more specialized. Moreover the sugar industry also impacted America and Europe as sugar became one of the two key products for exchange.
Both in America and Europe, sugar caused the development of plantations which in return caused the need for labor. Although it’s said to be a major component of the Columbian Exchange, this principle commodity caused the stimulation of the American slave trade and brought the evils of slavery out. Despite the fact that Americans did gain valuable resources like new food and plants from the trade, it came at a terrible price of death and enslavement of the Native Americans and eventually the African Americans.
