Essay On The Columbian Exchange

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In class we learned about the impact of the Columbian Exchange. The Columbian Exchange refers to a period of cultural and biological exchanges between the New and Old Worlds. There were exchanges of plants, animals, diseases and technology transformed European and Native American ways of life. This between 1450-1750 AD. The result of the Colombian Exchange was an overall negative event for the New world because it spread disease to the Europeans and Indians, it created a slave trade in America, and it caused depression that decreased population. The worst result of the Columbian exchange is the diseases that were transferred to the native people of the New World. “The disaster began almost as soon Columbus arrived, fueled mainly by smallpox …show more content…
This depression was stopping loved ones from reproducing declining the population. Bartolome de las Cases said “Thus husbands and wives were together only once every eight or ten months and when they met they were so exhausted and depressed on both sides… they ceased to procreate.” This quote demonstrates that the natives were depressed and exhausted from being overworked. They were hurt and ceased to reproduce. The Europeans caused a decrease in population. Casas also said that “Some mothers even drowned their babies from sheer desperation.” This is very depressing. Mothers would kill their own babies because they were so depressed. This shows how even those who did procreate they still ended up now having a son or daughter decreasing the population. Casa lastly said that “In this way, husbands died in the mines, wives sided at work, and children died… and in short time this land which was so great and powerful and fertile… was depopulated.” This quote demonstrate the true effect of what the Columbian Exchange did to the Natives. It killed them. This is very negative on the New World because there cannot be a New World without people living there.
The Columbian Exchange is the trade of goods and others from the Old World to the New World. The Columbian Exchange was a negative effect on the New World because it spread disease to the Europeans and Indians, it created a slave trade in America, and it caused depression that decreased