The Columbian Exchange Essay

The term ‘Columbian exchange’ refers to the exchange of products, ideas and even diseases during the period of the European exploration. The term applies to the period after the discovery of the Americas by Christopher Columbus in 1492. Crops like corn, potatoes and tomatoes, coffee and sugar cane were introduced in Europe, while the Europeans in their turn brought to the new world oranges, apples, onions and other vegetables. Equally, domesticated animals from the old world made their appearance to the new world and vice versa. So, cats, donkeys, mules, sheep and goats found their way into the Americas, being soon adopted by the native populations. The most famous New World animal to reach Europe was the turkey. Although, crops and animals represent the positive effects of this exchange, diseases represent its most negative effects. Smallpox and the measles led to the death of thousands of natives in the New World in massive epidemics. The exchange of diseases seems to have affected more the indigenous American populations and less the Europeans who did not seem to be seriously hit by diseases like the Chagas Disease, for example.
Columbian exchange has affected the lives of all people in the world. The food that we eat, and even the combination of materials in different recipes (for example the famous Italian tomato sauces for pasta), are the direct result of Columbian exchange. The fact that we are able to ride horses in this part of the world, or use animals like sheep and goat for their meat and other products is also another very tangible and undoubtedly positive effect of the Columbian exchange. These are things we all take for granted, but would never have taken place if that first period of great discovery had not occurred.