The Columbian Exchange

The Columbian Exchange

It's pretty amazing to think of how different the world would be today had we not have had what is called the Columbian Exchange. While looking back, there is an endless list of negatives during the time of the trade, there is also so much that many of us have gained over time. With all of the food from the old world, and new livestock, there was disease and violence that came with it. The natives of the new world didn't have the livestock that we know of here today. Without beasts that could be domesticated, they had no way to work the land as they could with the new livestock. The potatoes that went the opposite direction, back to Europe, would later feed the potato famine. They were a very hardy staple for those in Ireland, that grew well, and provided a crop that was easily sustainable by the peasants. Where would they have been today had this exchange not taken place? The livestock not only helped feed those starting off in the new world, they also helped in building and sculpting the land. From moving dirt to grazing off the land. 

It is a bitter sweet part of history, because with the trade we gained a new land and a combination of foods from all world. However, in order for the change and growth to take place, many were tortured, and many died at the time from the disease that they brought with them from never having an exposure to the illnesses or livestock, and not having built up a tolerance like those that brought it.

The cool picture came from: "http://thecolumbianexchange.weebly.com/"