1. The Columbian Exchange
EQ: Why would the 'Columbian Exchange‘ be the most important result of European colonization of
The Americas?

2. Spain’s Empire in the Americas
By the early 1500’s the Spanish were in the Americas
Spanish explorers are called conquistadors and wanted to explore the world.

3. Spain’s Empire in the Americas
Spanish defeated two large Empires to establish themselves as the biggest player in the Americas:
Incas in South America
Aztecs in Central America (more on them lated)

4. Spain’s Empire in the Americas
There was a social class system in the colonies that was based on birthplace and ethnic group.
On the top was the peninsulares-the Spanish colonists born in Spain
A Creole was someone who was born to peninsulare parents in the colony
A Mestizo was a person who had both Spanish and Native parents
The lowest were mulatto, which were people of Spanish and African heritage
Spain also gave the colonists encomiedas, and forced the natives to work in the gold and silver mines.

5. The Columbian Exchange
“The Columbian Exchange” is the sharing of cultures that transformed the lives of two continents.
Its was a two-way process with people, goods, and ideas moving back and forth.
The four main elements are:
Disease
Animals
Plants
Religion

6. The “Columbian Exchange”
Squash
Avocado
Peppers
Sweet Potatoes
Turkey
Pumpkin
Tobacco
Quinine
Cocoa
Pineapple
Cassava
POTATO
Peanut
TOMATO
Vanilla
MAIZE
Syphilis
Trinkets
Liquor
GUNS
Olive
COFFEE BEAN
Banana
Rice
Onion
Turnip
Honeybee
Barley
Grape
Peach
SUGAR CANE
Oats
Citrus Fruits
Pear
Wheat
HORSE
Cattle
Sheep
Pigs
Smallpox
Flu
Typhus
Measles
Malaria
Diptheria
Whooping Cough

7. The Exchange can be positive or negative in its effects
In the exchange that was made widespread by Columbus, Disease was the most negative for Indian peoples
Fatality rate over a period of two to three generations was 95% for many tribal groups

8. Europeans believed that it was God’s will that Indians died
There was no germ theory at the time of contact
Illness in Europe was considered to be the consequence of sin
Indians, who were largely “heathen” or non-Christian were regarded as sinners and therefore subject to illness as a punishment

9. Diseases New World: Old World:
Syphilis, polio, hepatitis and encephalitis were New World diseases that infected Europeans.
Europeans succumbed to Malaria easily
These diseases were NOT airborne, so harder to get.
Old World:
Smallpox, measles, diphtheria, whooping cough, chicken pox, bubonic plague, scarlet fever and influenza were the most common European disease that were sent to New World
Nearly all of the European diseases were communicable by air and touch.

10. PLANTS Americas Europe Maize Sugar Potato Rice Tomato Wheat Tobacco
Beans
Cacao
Cotton
Europe
Sugar
Rice
Wheat
Coffee
Banana
Grapes

11. Animals
Europe
Cattle
Horse
Pigs
Sheep
Americas
Turkey

12. Religion
Europeans wanted to convert “forcefully” sometimes, the natives to Christianity (almost exclusively Catholicism”
Spanish developed many “Missions”, or outposts consisting of a church and smaller community to convert the natives’
Missions were the foundation of several American cities:
Founders of key USA cities such as San Antonio, El Paso, Santa Fe, Tucson, San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco.

13. Mercantilism
The economy and trade are essential to the health and safety of the nation.
Get as much gold and silver as you can.
Establish a favorable balance of trade.
Get colonies.