When Christopher Columbus sailed the ocean blue in 1492 the world had no idea what the effects on the environment would be. The interaction between the Europeans and the New World Inhabitants of North and South America and Africa, as well as Asia is still relevant in the ecological impact that took place between their encounters during the Age of Exploration and onward. The exchange of ideas was the utopian ideal but the utter truth was that the natural environment and human stewardship of that environment during this new global encounter was altered for the worse. This paper will examine the great exchange between different cultures and examine the ecological imperialism that was carried out by Europeans.
Sometimes there were bad motives and sometimes the effects that were being inflicted on the environment were done ignorantly. Europeans during the 15th and 16th century had no idea the choices they made would have such powerful effects on the environment. The term sustainability hadn’t even been …show more content…
Crosby author of the overseas Migration of Western Europeans as a Biological Phenomenon. This European ecological imperialism began with the “decimation and demoralization of the aboriginal populations of Canada, the United States, Argentina and others.” (Crosby 106) This radical takeover by germs, weeds, domesticated animals, varmints, pathogens, “all accomplished demographic takeovers of their own in the temperate well-watered regions of North and South America.” (Crosby 116) As one Maori said, “As the clover killed off the fern, and the European dog the Maori dog – as the Maori rat was destroyed by the Pakeha (European) rat – so our people, also, will be gradually supplanted and exterminated by the Europeans.” (Crosby
Sometimes there were bad motives and sometimes the effects that were being inflicted on the environment were done ignorantly. Europeans during the 15th and 16th century had no idea the choices they made would have such powerful effects on the environment. The term sustainability hadn’t even been …show more content…
Crosby author of the overseas Migration of Western Europeans as a Biological Phenomenon. This European ecological imperialism began with the “decimation and demoralization of the aboriginal populations of Canada, the United States, Argentina and others.” (Crosby 106) This radical takeover by germs, weeds, domesticated animals, varmints, pathogens, “all accomplished demographic takeovers of their own in the temperate well-watered regions of North and South America.” (Crosby 116) As one Maori said, “As the clover killed off the fern, and the European dog the Maori dog – as the Maori rat was destroyed by the Pakeha (European) rat – so our people, also, will be gradually supplanted and exterminated by the Europeans.” (Crosby