The Colombian Exchange Flashcards
Colombian Exchange
The process by which crops, livestock, and people were transported to the Americas from Europe and vice versa
- More of an invasion than an exchange
Afro-Eurasian Crops in the Americas
- Grapes
- Grapes are important as they are used to make wine which is essential to Catholicism, as during mass, it is turned into the blood of Christ
- Wheat
- Fruit Trees
- Apples
American Crops in Afro-Eurasia
- Corn
- Potatoes
American Crops Effect on China
- Ditches had to be dug and worked hard but they couldn’t feed the workers
- Corn and Sweet Potatoes made feeding the workers possible and wet rice agriculture expanded
Corn
- For Americans, corn was a particular plant
- In Europe, referred to as maize
- One of two crops grown from Canada to South America
- Used as food of the poor and to feed animals
Potato
- Had a lot of nutrients and produced a lot on a small piece of land without much labor
- Potatoes were difficult to store, however
- A way to feed workers cheaply and are usually followed by a decrease in working conditions
The New Agriculture
- New Agriculture created is based on different crops
- Those in new colonies were among the most nourished in the world
How was livestock used in Afro-Eurasia?
Animals were primarily used for food and labor
What was the primary livestock used in the Americas?
Dogs and Chicken
What was the main advantage of the horse?
It enabled rapid transportation and swift communication
What was the main disadvantage of the horse?
The horses were a bit more independent
What was the horses affect on Native Americans?
They can hunt buffalo much easier and some groups stop agriculture all together.
What was the result of needing land for grazing?
It drove the Spanish north and ranching became a characteristic economic activity on the Spanish frontier
What was the problem with overgrazing?
It turned the grassland into desert
