Notebook Page 15 - The Columbian Exchange

The Columbian Exchange

• Time Period: 1450 CE – 1750 CE

Overview of the Columbian Exchange

• A significant period of biological and cultural exchanges between the Americas and the Old World.

Key Products Involved

North America to Europe

• Crops: Potato, Peanut, Tomato, Corn, Beans, Vanilla, Tobacco

Europe to North America

• Crops and Livestock: Wheat, Sugar Cane, Barley, Oats, Cattle, Sheep, Pigs, Horses, Grains, and various fruits (Grape, Peach, Pear, Citrus Fruits).

• Diseases: Smallpox, Influenza, Typhus, Malaria, Diphtheria, Measles, Whooping Cough.

Africa's Contributions

• Livestock and Food: Rice, Okra, and introduction of slaves.

Impact on Food Systems

• American crops became staples in Euro-Asian diets: e.g., potatoes in Europe, sweet potatoes in China, and maize across Afro-Eurasia.

• Large-scale plantation projects for cash crops such as tobacco, coffee, and sugar were initiated.

The Triangular Trade

Definition

• A complex trading system developed in the 17th and 18th centuries involving three major regions: Europe, Africa, and the Americas.

The Cycle of Trade

• Route 1: Buy slaves from African kingdoms.

• Route 2: Transport slaves to labor in New World plantations.

• Route 3: Send goods back to Europe for consumption and sale.

Slave Labor's Importance

• Slave labor was crucial for the profitability of European empires; many slaves were transported via the Middle Passage.

• Indentured servants also traveled to the New World seeking opportunities, while Native American populations began to decline due to diseases and exploitation.

Cultural Exchange

• The Atlantic System promoted significant mingling between African, American, and European cultures.

Positive Impacts in the Old World

• Increased wealth and populations in Europe.

• New World crops led to more diverse diets and a population boom in Afro-Eurasia.

Negative Impacts

• Enslavement of Native Americans and Africans for agricultural labor.

• Introduction of European-style agriculture caused deforestation and soil depletion.

• Massive population declines among Native Americans due to new diseases brought by Europeans.

Encomienda System

Definition

• A labor system where Spanish colonizers were granted control over land and local populations.

Social Structure

• Peninsulares: Europeans born in Spain/Portugal, seen as superior due to their heritage.

• Creoles: European descendants born in the Americas.

• Mestizos: Mixed European and American Indian ancestry.

• Mulattos: Mixed European and African ancestry.

• Zambos: Mixed American Indian and African ancestry.

Silver Mining in the Spanish Empire

The Discovery of Silver

• Large silver deposits found in regions like Peru and Mexico led to economic changes.

Mit'a System

• Required Native male populations to work in silver mines, emulating the Incan practice.

Economic Consequences

• The influx of silver funded European wars but led to inflation and economic strife for Spain.

• Silver became a key commodity in Asian markets, particularly for luxury goods, but mismanagement resulted in decline.

Ming Dynasty's Silver Issues

Tax Policy Mismanagement

• The reliance on silver for taxation crippled local economies as peasants lacked sufficient silver.

• Overproduction of luxury items like silk and tea caused deflation and loss of currency value, impacting food production.