Question

What do you think we are positive and negative Consequences of the columbine exchange

Answer 1

The Columbian Exchange had both negative and positive effects. Some of the positive effects include the exchange of technology. The introduction of the plow transformed farming because it increased cultivation and food production to the benefit of both Native Americans and the Europeans.  Introduction of weapons and other tools made from steel facilitated the Native Americans’ hunting activities. The Native Americans adopted the architectural style of the Europeans, and it enabled them to build stronger, more durable structures.

Exchange of plants was also one of the positive effects of the Columbian exchange. The Europeans introduced sugarcane to the new world, and the sweetener enhanced taste for the Native Americans. Similarly, the introduction of maize and potatoes to the Old World was much welcomed. Maize, unlike wheat, could grow in vast regions and had a long shelf life when dried. Potatoes, naturally, became part of the European diet.

The introduction of certain animals from the Old World such as horses, oxen, and asses transformed labor by powering cultivation in combination with the plow. These animals also transformed transportation.

The most notable negative effect of the Columbian Exchange was the transfer of diseases. Diseases were transferred from the Old to the New World and vice versa. Some of the New World diseases transferred to the Old World included syphilis, polio, and hepatitis. On the other hand, Old World diseases transferred to the New World included smallpox, malaria, influenza, yellow fever, and measles. Of those, smallpox was the most devastating because it caused the highest number of deaths.