Colombian Exchange Unit 1 APUSH

Foods- Americas to Europe

• Maize

• Tomatoes

• Potatoes

• Cacao

• Tobacco

Foods- Europe/Africa to Americas

• Rice

• Wheat

• Soybeans

• oats

• Lemons

• Oranges

• horses

• pigs

• cattle

• chicken

Treaty of Tordesillas (1494)

An agreement between Spain and Portugal, brokered by the Pope, that divided the newly discovered lands outside Europe between the two countries along a meridian. East was for Portugal and West was for Spain

Effects on Natives

• Forced Natives to mine or gold (gave a punishable quota)

• Many dead due to disease(smallpox)- Tainos,+ measles & chicken pox

Effects on Europe

• syphilis

• Inflation

• Mercantilism(by state)

• Became more rich

Mercantalism

“Limited amount of wealth, as measured in gold and silver bullion, existed in the world. In order to gain power, nations had to amass wealth by mining these precious raw materials from their colonial possessions”

Colonial mercantilism

“a set of protectionist policies designed to benefit the colonizing nation”- materials went to Europe and finished products went to colonial holdings. Colonists were forbidden from trading with other powers

Sugar

This was the most important commodity in the Atlantic. Different powers fought for control of production. In Europe it was harder to grow with its environment so Colombus brought in to Hispanola in 1493, Over time tropical areas as well as the Carribean became places for sugar production. This also increased the need for African Slaves.

Tobacco

This was of secondary importance to sugar. Europeans used it as a cash crop(sale not personal consumption). Europeans first came and thought it was evidence of native slavery but began to smoke it as all as send it back home.Eventually it became a global commodity.

The exchange

Environmental

• Overhunting(beaver hats[Northeast]+European weapons)-beaver ponds gone(no environment for fish or drink for deer)

• Pigs-(ate the food of the deer)

• Private Property(natives=”viewed land as a resource to be held in common for the benefit of the group”, Europeans-fenced and privatized)-lands cut off from native

Health

Introduction of smallpox and microbes killed the older generation taking away sources of wisdom and history. “In the 1630s, half of the Huron and Iroquois people living near the Great Lakes died of smallpox.”

• “Mourning Wars—capturing prisoners to either adopt them into the tribe or avenge the dead”

Botany

Europeans came to the New World to find new medcines. The practice of cataloging the plants became botany and most notable is Sir Hans Sloane.

European Economy

“It brought a great deal of gold and silver into Europe, stimulating the banking industry and promoting Europe’s transition to capitalism

The European banking industry expanded to deal with the influx of New World gold and silver.”