Monday, January 26, 2009

the columbian exchange

The Columbian exchange was an event that revolved around the trading between the old and new world. This I believe had its positives and its negatives. The positives would be that during the course of the exchanges many things that would eventually be very important and some times crucial were exchanged. Amongst the many things that were traded there were cotton, metal, animals, but most of the trading involved food that were also originated in the old world like apples, oranges, butter, sugar, flour, ect. On the other hand the items that originated in the new world were tomatoes, peppers, corn, vanilla, ect. This was the main focus in the trade, but of course this also brought unwanted things like diseases/ viruses. The diseases were originally brought from the old world and even though if affected both worlds, for the new world it was devastating. Amongst the deadly diseases that the Europeans brought, bird flu, aids, and salmonella were included. Under the trading Europe bought/ traded raw materials from the Americas and shipped manufactured goods to their colonies, but that is something that has changed since today America has its own factories and make their own products. Over all I think that the way colonization took effect was certainly unfair for the new world since it included cruelty, massacre, and death, but for the old world it was an opportunity that was there and advantage was going to be taken of.

1 comment:

brad said...

Great examination of the relationship between the New and old worlds. You have solid and excellent examples and you expresses them in a clear way. I agree with, it was a cruel and horrible period. Good Job!


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