6.6 The Columbian Exchange

commodity

something with a practical use or value

demographic

a way to describe a group of people based on things like their age, gender, income, education, or where they live

enslave

to force another person into slavery or to be in a condition of bondage

epidemic

an outbreak, usually of disease, that spreads rapidly, afflicting many individuals

indentured servant

a person who is compelled by law to work for an employer for a defined term

indigenous

having origin in a country or locality; native

mercantilism

the doctrine, developed in the West after the decline of feudalism, that a nation's economy could be strengthened by governmental protection of home industries, by increased foreign exports, and by accumulating gold and silver

plantation

a large estate used for cultivating commercial crops such as rubber, tea, cotton, or coffee