The COLUMBIAN EXCHANGE, Spanish Exploration, and Conquest

Columbian Exchange

Global exchange of plants, animals, people, diseases, and ideas between the Americas, Europe, and Africa after 1492; reshaped entire continents

Smallpox

Highly contagious disease brought by Europeans that devastated Native American populations (killed up to 90%)

Middle Passage

Deadly transatlantic journey that enslaved Africans endured to reach the Americas; part of the triangular trade

Capitalism

Economic system focused on private ownership and profit; stimulated by wealth from the Americas (especially gold/silver)

Mercantilism

Economic theory focused on maximizing exports and accumulating gold/silver; colonies were used to benefit the mother country

Joint-Stock Company

Business model where investors pooled money to fund colonization (e.g., Virginia Company); reduced individual risk

Feudalism

Medieval European system where peasants worked land owned by nobles; declined as wealth from the Americas rose

Encomienda System

Spanish system that allowed colonists to demand labor from Native Americans in exchange for Christianizing them

Plantation System

Large-scale agricultural operations using enslaved labor to grow cash crops (e.g., sugar, tobacco); spread due to demand in Europe

Maize (Corn)

New World crop introduced to Europe; improved European nutrition and helped increase population

Potatoes

Another New World crop that fueled population growth in Europe due to high calories and ability to grow in poor soil

Sugarcane

Old World crop grown in New World plantations; drove demand for enslaved African labor, especially in the Caribbean

Horse

Introduced by the Spanish; transformed Native American hunting and warfare, especially for Plains tribes

1492

The year Christopher Columbus reached the Americas, beginning the Columbian Exchange

Gold and Silver

Extracted from the Inca and Aztec empires; enriched Spain and helped shift Europe from feudalism to capitalism

Africa

In the Columbian Exchange, this region was the source of enslaved labor and also received some European goods

Europe

Benefited from American crops, gained wealth, and transitioned economically due to the Columbian Exchange

Americas

Gained new animals and crops but suffered population loss and cultural disruption due to European colonization