The Columbian Exchange is a term referring to Christopher Columbus arriving to the New World. His appearance to the New World brought about the agricultural lifestyle and influenced the way people lived. Tobacco, turkeys silver, and potatoes were various products that were exchanged to the Europeans. Earthworms also became noteworthy. Accidentally exchanged by the Europeans, earthworms impacted the agriculture by packing nutrients in the previously worm-free soil. Although there are many positive aspects of this trade of plants, animals, and new forms of technologies, the spread of diseases and the damage to the indigenous cultures caused vast consequences that impacts today’s world.
The transfer of diseases occurred between Native Americans …show more content…
Associated with mosquitoes, malaria is described by Mann as “wildly complex; it changes outward appearance with the alacrity of characters in a Shakespearean comedy” (104). When the English had been infected, many were still permitted to leave for the New World. This is contributed to the deadly parasites hiding in healthy looking people, and outwardly not showing symptoms of this aliment. While malaria seemed to be a torturous attack on thousands of new and original settlers, there was resistance from natives in Africa. They had become immune to it because malaria had been around for so long. It is the resistance to this disease that could have sparked the idea of English being heavily involved with the slave trade.
Another negative effect comes from how new ideas and products were presented to the Native Americans. “When the Spaniards came to the New World, they imposed the Catholic Church on the indigenous peoples, feeling it was the only means by which to civilize them” (eNotes). People who arrived saw the traditions and beliefs of the natives as blasphemy, so they enforced their lifestyle. Though the new settlers saw no harm in their acts, it took away an opportunity for diversity to blossom in the new land and instead focused on the tied-down beliefs of the new people a part of The Columbian …show more content…
Unlike malaria, the Africans have not build up a resistance to this infection. Swine Flu pandemic is another example of a disease that had made its way to the U.S. Interesting enough, the disease is said to originate from pigs: An animal the New World received during The Columbian Exchange. Ebola and Swine Flu are considered new to the United States, but other countries identify these sicknesses as ones that have been around for a long period. Like the Columbian Exchange, the two diseases were not transmitted until traveling to and from another
The transfer of diseases occurred between Native Americans …show more content…
Associated with mosquitoes, malaria is described by Mann as “wildly complex; it changes outward appearance with the alacrity of characters in a Shakespearean comedy” (104). When the English had been infected, many were still permitted to leave for the New World. This is contributed to the deadly parasites hiding in healthy looking people, and outwardly not showing symptoms of this aliment. While malaria seemed to be a torturous attack on thousands of new and original settlers, there was resistance from natives in Africa. They had become immune to it because malaria had been around for so long. It is the resistance to this disease that could have sparked the idea of English being heavily involved with the slave trade.
Another negative effect comes from how new ideas and products were presented to the Native Americans. “When the Spaniards came to the New World, they imposed the Catholic Church on the indigenous peoples, feeling it was the only means by which to civilize them” (eNotes). People who arrived saw the traditions and beliefs of the natives as blasphemy, so they enforced their lifestyle. Though the new settlers saw no harm in their acts, it took away an opportunity for diversity to blossom in the new land and instead focused on the tied-down beliefs of the new people a part of The Columbian …show more content…
Unlike malaria, the Africans have not build up a resistance to this infection. Swine Flu pandemic is another example of a disease that had made its way to the U.S. Interesting enough, the disease is said to originate from pigs: An animal the New World received during The Columbian Exchange. Ebola and Swine Flu are considered new to the United States, but other countries identify these sicknesses as ones that have been around for a long period. Like the Columbian Exchange, the two diseases were not transmitted until traveling to and from another