Week 8: Slides (21) Breadfruit

Question 1

Why did Europeans introduce the breadfruit tree to Jamaica?

A) To diversify local diets

B) To provide a cheap food source for enslaved workers on plantations

C) To promote biodiversity in the Caribbean

D) As an ornamental plant

Answer 1

B

Question 2

The breadfruit tree, introduced to the Caribbean, originally came from which region?

A) South America
B) Africa
C) Indonesia
D) Australia

Answer 2

C

Question 3

What event is famously associated with the transportation of breadfruit to the Caribbean?

A) The voyage of the Mayflower
B) The Mutiny on the Bounty
C) The Treaty of Tordesillas
D) The Opium War

Answer 3

B

Question 4

Why did Europeans introduce crops like peanuts to Africa and rice to East Africa?

A) To create profitable cash crops for export

B) To promote local agricultural diversity

C) To help African economies become more self-sufficient

D) To replace traditional crops with European crops

Answer 4

A

Question 5

What was a common motivation behind Europeans’ intentional biological exchanges, like introducing breadfruit, peanuts, and rice to various colonies?

A) To improve local diets and health

B) To increase profits and sustain plantation economies cheaply

C) To encourage traditional farming practices

D) To provide a surplus for European food markets

Answer 5

B

Question 6

Explain the economic motivation behind the introduction of the breadfruit tree to Jamaica by European colonizers.

Answer 6

The breadfruit tree was introduced to Jamaica to provide a cheap and sustainable food source for enslaved laborers on plantations.

This decision was economically motivated, as it allowed plantation owners to feed workers inexpensively, maximizing profits from the production of cash crops like sugar.

Question 7

How did the introduction of crops like peanuts in Africa and rice in East Africa reflect European economic goals?

Answer 7

Europeans introduced crops like peanuts and rice as cash crops in African colonies to generate profits through export.

This strategy prioritized the economic benefits for European markets over local agricultural needs, often disrupting traditional farming practices and creating dependency on European-controlled export economies.