The Columbian Exchange

columbian exchange: transfer of plants, animals, disease, and technology between old world and new world * old world: where Columbus came from * new world: where he found and conquered
after 1490s, an intermingling of life-forms long separated by geography
people, mostly in one direction * about 2.6 million europeans * about 12 million africans
crops and domesticated animals * horse changed the lifestyles of native americans * old world animals expanded food base in new world
invasive plant and animal species
epidemic diseases * smallpox, influenza, typhus, measles, diphtheria, scarlet fever
native american populations collapsed * shorter history of large urban centers that breed disease * up to 90% losses in first 150 years * compounded by other factors, especially violence and instability * european brutality
3 causes for why the europeans wanted to migrate and expand:

1. god 2. gold 3. glory