Columbus and the Columbian Exchange

Changes galore but was it good or bad?

Columbus

Born 1451 to an Italian wool merchant in Genoa Studied mathematics, astronomy, cartography

and navigation in Lisbon

Columbus

Columbus found funding for his plan to discover a western path to Asia from Spain after Portugal rejected it

Based on faulty calculation, he underestimated the circumference of the world. He thought Asia was 5000 miles away from Spain.

Columbus

Columbus’ motives were mostly monetary, with religion a close second.

When he failed to find gold or a lucrative trade route, he began collecting slaves: he believed that a trans-Atlantic slave trade would be quite lucrative. The Spanish monarchs outlawed this.

In 1500, he and his brothers were jailed for brutal governorship of Hispaniola. Released shortly later.

In 1502, he was marooned in Jamaica for one year

Died 1506

Columbus

His legacy is a mixed one Some see him as the man who

discovered the New World Others see his discovery causing

destruction for Native Americans and the environment while Europeans extracted natural resources from these lands.

In time, the Columbian Exchange and the Triangular Trade began

Long Term Effects

Cultural Diffusion Religion, ideas, economies

Population Growth In Europe, potato and corn help feed all

people In America, Native American decrease

while African Americans, immigrants increase

In Africa, reduction due to slavery offset normal growth

Long Term Effects

Spread of products all over the world America to Europe▪ Raw materials, cash crops, rum

Europe to America (and Africa)▪ Manufactured goods, guns, diseases,

domesticated animals, horses Ecological Imperialism (on the

Americas) Gold and silver mining Displace native plants for cash crops

After Columbus

Columbian Exchange

Columbian Exchange

Was it good or bad?

For Europeans? For Colonists? For Native Americans? For African Americans? For the Environment? For the World Economy?