Was Christopher Columbus, Was It Worth It?

Columbus, Was it Worth It?
“The beginning of knowledge is the discovery of something we do not understand” -Frank Herbert. Before the Age of Discovery, many people were too afraid of exploring the oceans. At the time, they believed that the world was flat and there were many formidable tales about stupefying sea monsters. Sailors were afraid of falling off the edge of the world or being attacked by an ominous creature. These fears and false beliefs of the world kept many people from pursuing a life at sea. Although there were many uncharted parts of the ocean, there was competition for wealth among the European nations. This motivated Christopher Columbus, a Genoese sea captain, to make an audacious journey. As he set sailed for his journey, he decided …show more content…
In his article, “The Columbian Exchange,” McNeill states that “By reuniting formerly biologically distant land masses, the Columbian Exchange had dramatic and lasting effects on the world” (McNeill 1). With that, people from Europe were able to bring over new things to the New World. Diverse foods and crops were introduced thus improving diets and promoting trade. The spread of crops also changed the economy of America. The Europeans had brought over livestock such as horses, which became very popular with the Native Americans. However, The Native Americans weren 't the only ones to benefit from the Columbian Exchange; the Europeans brought many things that helped America flourish but America has also brought advantages to Europe. It benefitted both worlds and changed their lifestyles. America was able to offer many crops, such as potatoes, that really changed the life of the Europeans. People were able to make a larger variety of dishes that incorporated the foods that were brought over. Also, when the potato was brought over it helped feed many more