1492 Transformation

This essay will explore whether the old world or the Americas benefitted more from the Columbian exchange. The Columbian exchange was the transfer of plants, animals, ideas and more between the Americas and the old world during the 15th and 16th century. This essay will first talk about the slavery that happened during the Columbian exchange. Secondly the deaths that were caused by the transfer of diseases through the Columbian exchange. Lastly how the exchange of foods through the Columbian exchange lead to an agricultural revolution.

In the novel, 1493: Uncovering the New World Columbus Created, Charles C. Mann enlightens and captures how Columbus’s expeditions united the lands of Eurasia and America. It is a well-written and informational book that successfully displays much of the development and foundation of our present all from the European discovery of the new world. Charles C. Mann’s main objective with this book was to extend on the geographer, Alfred W Crosby’s explanation of “Ecological Imperialism.”

Without intention in 1492, Christopher Columbus initiated an event that is perhaps the most important historical turning point in modern times to the American Continents. “For thousands of years before 1492, human societies in Americas had developed in isolation from the rest of the world.”(P. 4) Christopher Columbus and other European voyagers ended all this beginning in 1492 as they searched for treasure and attempted to spread Christianity. For the first time people from Europe, Africa, and the Americas were in regular contact. This 1492 event brought together three worlds politically, culturally and environmentally and led to what historians refer to as The Columbian Exchange which acted as a merging of European and American natives’ cultures

European crave for spices was immense. It would drive merchants to seek out trade routes. The Colombian Exchange which commenced after Colombus landing in America, was the exchange of goods, resources, and ideas between the New World and the Old World. From Europe, Asia, and Africa many different species of animals were brought into the lives of Native Americans in the New World. Cattle, pigs, and horses being some of the most influential. Sugar and Coffee would also tremendously impact the lives of Native Americans as the remaining amount that survived small pox disease would be to work in the fields cultivating these popular crops. A few crucial plants that came from the New World were the cacao bean, as Europeans would begin to develop a liking for chocolate and other consumer goods later on, the highly addictive Tobacco would be dispersed though out the nation as well. This exchange system would prove to be a huge turning point as Spain, Portugal and later England, France, and the Dutch would come out to take their piece of this new land. Compared to 1517 these discoveries would change the lives of just about every European for the better, as it was the nobles who funded the expeditions for the search of new goods by intellectual men, rather than the blind following that happened with the Protestant leaders that would

It should no longer come as any great surprise that Columbus was not the first to discover the Americas--Carthaginians, Vikings, and even St. Brendan may have set foot on the Western Hemisphere long before Columbus crossed the Atlantic. But none of these incidental contacts made the impact that Columbus did. Columbus and company were bound to bring more than the benefits of Christianity and double entry bookkeeping to America. His voyages started the Columbian Exchange, a hemispherical swap of peoples, plants, animals and diseases that transformed not only the world he had discovered but also the one he had left.

An array of different plants and crops were some of the most abundant items to be exchanged during this time. There were things that grew in the New World that were not available in the Old World and vice versa. For example, wheat barley, rice and turnips were very prevalent in the Old World but hadn’t yet made their way to the Americas. The Columbian exchange made this happen while providing the Old World with things the New World Could offer such as maize, white potatoes, sweet potatoes and manioc. Some of the Europeans settlers brought apple seeds with them as well which grew in the northern part of what we call present day, North America.

As the Age of Exploration gained momentum in the late 15th century, many European countries began to send explorers out on expeditions. These expeditions were funded with the hopes of expanding territory, discovering new trade routes, and finding riches, but no one knew how significant these expeditions would be for the future of the world. Arguably the most significant expedition was led by Christopher Columbus. In 1492, Columbus set sail from Spain with the goal of finding a Western route to Asia, but instead he stumbled upon a land untouched and previously unknown to the Eastern Hemisphere. He had just “discovered” the Americas. Columbus’ discovery set in motion what is now called the Columbian Exchange; a transfer of plants, animals, diseases, people, technology, and culture between the Eastern and Western Hemispheres. The Columbian Exchange drastically changed the societies and cultures that were involved, specifically the Africans, the Europeans, and the Native Americans. The Europeans saw the New World as a new beginning and an opportunity to increase their wealth and power, so many voluntarily migrated across the Atlantic, whereas the Africans were forcibly brought over to the Americas to work on plantations, or large farms that focused on a single crop, via the slave trade. The Native Americans also suffered as a result of the Columbian Exchange because, without any sort of natural immunity to European diseases, their people died by the millions and their cultures

Through Columbian exchange, Slaves were accompanied by the Spanish from West Africa to work in the Americas. As more disease were spread to the existing slaves in the Americas, African slaves became more valuable. With the exchange of slaves between Africa and the Americas, Africa was given the introduction to new cash crops. Because of the Columbian exchange Africa and much of the world have been introduced to African Slavery and agricultural

When Columbus first landed in the Americas during the pre modern era, he changed the course of world history for years to come. This was finally an age connected like no other time before. With a new connected world, economies blossomed and social changes occurred for the better or the worse. Although western Europe and in particular Spain came to control economically ,through silver and sugar, and socially,through cultural diffusion of natives, Africa and the Americas after contact, there was not a rapid social change of these land but a slow process of transformation.

Christopher Columbus once said, “Following the light of the sun, we left the Old World.” His journey to the west unfolded many possibilities which started the Age of Discovery and the Age of Exploration. Endless possibilities came about and the new land became one of the fastest developing countries in the world. The world became a better place when Christopher Columbus found the new world because new trade expanded the market, the economy grew and proof of land was discovered which sparked curiosity in explorers. The commence of the Americas started with a hopeful explorer who turned out to make one of the greatest discoveries that ultimately changed the world.

Without knowledge, we cannot improve ourselves and the world. I have learned that investigating the past, through the histories that many historians have written and left us as a legacy, is where we can find the causes of many events that occur in our present. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the different perspectives on Christopher Columbus of historian Howard Zinn, as well as the impacts created by the arrival of Columbus to “The New World” in the history of the United States.

"In 1492 Columbus sailed the ocean blue." That's the one date everyone remembers, the date in virtually every school child's history textbook. But, they leave out pretty much everything about Columbus and his exploration of the New World. It's the part many people have yet to learn about. For years, Columbus has been presented to us as a hero. In 1934, President Roosevelt even gave Columbus his own holiday. To this day, we celebrate his "discovery" of America. What is found in history textbooks now, have seemed to show another side of Christopher Columbus, a side that they wouldn't dare teach in elementary school. It's the rest of Columbus' tale of "discovery". This paper will show you that Christopher Columbus

Although early explorers and pilgrims made important achievements and discoveries that set the stage for early society, Christopher Columbus spent numerous years conquering new lands by using violence enslavement, and ethnocentric beliefs. The colonial period was built upon by greed, slavery, disease, and the destruction of the indigenous people in the Americas. We, as historians all believe that this claim is important because many people have the wrong impression or belief as to what really happened with Christopher Columbus. This also explains to people how he conquered the Americas and took the Natives land in search for riches and a new world. Christopher Columbus was determined to find a direct water route west from Europe to Asia, but

Christopher Columbus’s life was filled with adventures and new beginnings that would leave a remarkable impression throughout history. Born in 1451 in Genoa, Columbus from an early age would become well acclimated to sailing as he began his career aboard a merchant ship and later study mathematics, astronomy, cartography, and navigation. Growing up and experiencing new thing Columbus began to come up with a plan different from all others to set sail across the Atlantic instead of going around the African continent. With his ideas being turned away from both Portugal and England it was Ferdinand and Isabella who took sympathy upon him and financial back his voyage as they both had hopes of gaining fame and fortune. In 1942, Columbus began his voyages and would carefully document each experience in the form of letters that would have a lasting impact on the world. I believe with the dramatic change in tones we see between the first and fourth letters it gives us the reader a true insight into Columbus’s mental and physical emotions over the years. Furthermore, these letters allow us to explore a part of history that is considered monumental while gaining information of what took place over a ten-year journey.

The discovery of the Americas by the European explorer Christopher Columbus was a pivotal event during the 1450s that posed challenges to the way Europeans viewed the world. Columbus was born in Genoa Italy, and is hailed as one the greatest navigators during his time, inspiring an official American Holiday. However, Columbus’s voyage isn’t all that great of a thing, especially to the native peoples and environment of the Americas. Columbus’s deeds are soured by false motives, violence against the indigenous, and damage to the environment that came as a result of him discovering the Americas. Although America had to have been discovered some time by the Europeans, it was not handled very well by the European explorers and society.