What Are The Causes Of The Columbian Exchange

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European exploration during the 15th century led to a change in demographics in various Western countries and marked history forever. A lead European explorer by the name of Christopher Columbus set in motion what was to become the idea of the “Columbian Exchange”. With the financial aid of Queen Isabella of Spain, Christopher Columbus explored the areas unknown to Europe, which included the regions of North and South America.Columbus came face to face with his newfound land in the year 1492 when he arrived in the region known as the Caribbean. Columbus was originally destined to find what he thought of as India, but instead landed on the Caribbean. The Columbian Exchange is a concept that details the trading of materials, ideas and disease between the Eastern and Western countries of that time.Factors that were part of the Columbian Exchange included infectious diseases, crops, animals, and people. Though the introduction of new animals and crops to the New World had a positive change in some aspects of life, the establishment of disease transmitted from the European explorers to the defenseless indigenous people proved deadly. Infectious diseases such as smallpox, measles, and typhus killed a substantial amount of natives making them susceptible to violent European ruling.
The Columbian Exchange allowed for the distribution of new crops to the Old World, while allowing the Old World to have access to new species of animals such as horses and cattle. The
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Slaves were introduced to the Americas against their will due to the selling of the slaves to Europeans in Africa. Europeans brought Africans to the Americas as needed, which caused a divergence in the ethnic population. Now descendants of Africa can be found living in countries such as Peru, Mexico and other countries that were known as the New World. The Columbian Exchange introduced the idea of exploration and exploitation to the New