The Columbian Exchange

Flashcards covering key vocabulary and concepts related to the Columbian Exchange.

Columbian Exchange

The exchange of diseases, plants, animals, and people between the Old and New Worlds after Columbus' discovery in 1492.

Old World

Refers to Africa, Asia, and Europe, which were known to Europeans before 1492.

New World

Refers to North and South America, which were new territories to Europeans.

Microorganisms

Tiny organisms, such as bacteria and viruses, that can cause diseases; exchanged during the Columbian Exchange.

Smallpox

A highly contagious Old World disease introduced to the New World, particularly deadly for Native Americans.

Syphilis

A sexually transmitted disease believed to have originated in the New World, transmitted to the Old World after 1492.

Neo-Europes

Lands similar to Europe with temperate climates established in the New World, allowing settlers to recreate European agriculture.

Indentured Servants

Individuals who agreed to work for a fixed number of years in exchange for passage to the New World.

Atlantic Slave Trade

The forced migration of Africans to the New World, where they were sold as slaves.

Demographic Revolution

A significant population increase in the Old World (Africa, Asia, Europe) between 1650 and 1850 due to the introduction of New World crops.