ecological revolution of the 16 th and 17 th centuries
TRANSCRIPT
Ecological RevolutionEcological Revolution
of the 16of the 16thth and 17 and 17thth Centuries Centuries
The Columbian ExchangeThe Columbian Exchange
The transfer of plants, animals, and The transfer of plants, animals, and microbes among the Americas, Europe, microbes among the Americas, Europe, Asia, and AfricaAsia, and Africa
Ended divergent evolution that began Ended divergent evolution that began with the breakup of the Pangaea super with the breakup of the Pangaea super continentcontinent
Brought new foods, lifestyles, and Brought new foods, lifestyles, and diseases to both sides of the Atlanticdiseases to both sides of the Atlantic
Maize (Corn)Maize (Corn)
Brought to China and Europe from Brought to China and Europe from AmericasAmericas
Initially used as an animal foodInitially used as an animal food Took less labor per production unit to growTook less labor per production unit to grow Could grow in in places wheat, rice, and Could grow in in places wheat, rice, and
millet could notmillet could not
Eventually adopted into human dietEventually adopted into human diet
Sweet PotatoesSweet Potatoes
Brought primarily to China from AmericasBrought primarily to China from Americas First used as animal foodFirst used as animal food
Could grow in marginal environmentsCould grow in marginal environments Adopted by immigrants and the poorAdopted by immigrants and the poor
Did not spread beyond China to any Did not spread beyond China to any great extentgreat extent
PotatoesPotatoes Brought from the high Andes to Europe Brought from the high Andes to Europe
and Asia by the Portugueseand Asia by the Portuguese Never catches on in East Asia, but becomes Never catches on in East Asia, but becomes
important in Indiaimportant in India Replaces rye as the staple crop of Northern Replaces rye as the staple crop of Northern
EuropeEurope Spread west to east during Europe’s warsSpread west to east during Europe’s wars
Only major human staple that, in Only major human staple that, in sufficient quantities, provides ALL sufficient quantities, provides ALL essential nutrientsessential nutrients
WheatWheat
Brought from Europe to AmericasBrought from Europe to Americas Only small portions of the Americas Only small portions of the Americas
suitable for wheat productionsuitable for wheat production Attempts to farm the New World as Attempts to farm the New World as
though it were the Old led to failures and though it were the Old led to failures and massive environmental re-engineeringmassive environmental re-engineering
Weeds and GrassesWeeds and Grasses
Brought from Europe to transform open Brought from Europe to transform open areas for livestockareas for livestock
Purslane, Englishman’s Foot, Dandelions Purslane, Englishman’s Foot, Dandelions and others forced native grasses out of and others forced native grasses out of eco-nicheseco-niches
Englishman’s Foot and Englishman’s Foot and Purslane Purslane
LivestockLivestock
Horses and cattle brought from Europe to Horses and cattle brought from Europe to Americas by SpanishAmericas by Spanish Had invented “ranching” after the Had invented “ranching” after the
Reconquista opened up vast plains in S. Reconquista opened up vast plains in S. Spain in 1492Spain in 1492
Thrived on S. American pampa and N. Thrived on S. American pampa and N. American prairie but still not as adapted as American prairie but still not as adapted as native bison to conditions of N. Americanative bison to conditions of N. America
Spanish PlainsSpanish Plains
Cane SugarCane Sugar First transplanted product to have a major First transplanted product to have a major
impact on world marketsimpact on world markets Originally SE AsianOriginally SE Asian American supply meant more people could try itAmerican supply meant more people could try it
Quickly became most valuable product in Quickly became most valuable product in oceanic tradeoceanic trade
Spawned first New World industriesSpawned first New World industries Refineries and rum distilleriesRefineries and rum distilleries
Led to competition among European powers Led to competition among European powers over sugar cultivationover sugar cultivation
Also led to massive importation of labor to work Also led to massive importation of labor to work sugar plantationssugar plantations
The Beverage Revolution!The Beverage Revolution!
Availability of sugar increased the popularity Availability of sugar increased the popularity of coffee, tea, and chocolate exponentiallyof coffee, tea, and chocolate exponentially
Coffee surpassed spice as the major trading Coffee surpassed spice as the major trading commodity in the Arabian seacommodity in the Arabian sea Originated in Middle East, but soon planted all Originated in Middle East, but soon planted all
over the European imperial worldover the European imperial world Chocolate brought from MesoAmerica and Chocolate brought from MesoAmerica and
planted all over world tooplanted all over world too Tea transplanted from China to British Tea transplanted from China to British
controlled India and Sri Lankacontrolled India and Sri Lanka
Coffee Plants
Tea Plants
Cocoa Plant
Exchange in the AmericasExchange in the Americas
Turkeys from Mexico to N. AmericaTurkeys from Mexico to N. America Alas, not until after the first ThanksgivingAlas, not until after the first Thanksgiving
West Indian Tobacco to VirginiaWest Indian Tobacco to Virginia Transplanted by John RolfeTransplanted by John Rolfe
Pocahontas’ HusbandPocahontas’ Husband
Made Virginia viable as a colonyMade Virginia viable as a colony Without Spanish tobacco, it would still be a Without Spanish tobacco, it would still be a
swampswamp
Tobacco Plant
Effects of Exchange Effects of Exchange
Significantly higher nutrition world-wideSignificantly higher nutrition world-wide Led to greater fertility rates and longer life-Led to greater fertility rates and longer life-
spansspans Began a population explosion that has Began a population explosion that has
continued virtually unabated until todaycontinued virtually unabated until today
Microbial ExchangeMicrobial Exchange
Before that population explosion could Before that population explosion could begin, the world had to recover from a begin, the world had to recover from a new series of plaguenew series of plague
Population of the New World was Population of the New World was devastated by disease, particularly devastated by disease, particularly smallpoxsmallpox New World peoples had zero immunity New World peoples had zero immunity
because they had not survived the plaguesbecause they had not survived the plagues
Smallpox Victim
Demographic CollapseDemographic Collapse
Estimate 90% death rate in 100 yearsEstimate 90% death rate in 100 years Smallpox, influenza, and measles were Smallpox, influenza, and measles were
major culpritsmajor culprits Despite outside efforts, particularly of the Despite outside efforts, particularly of the
Spanish, Europeans could do nothing to Spanish, Europeans could do nothing to stop the spread of the diseasesstop the spread of the diseases
New Disease in EurasiaNew Disease in Eurasia Isolated parts of Eurasia brought into Isolated parts of Eurasia brought into
contact during this period and ravaged by contact during this period and ravaged by diseasesdiseases SiberiansSiberians AustraliaAustralia
Microbial evolution, perhaps triggered by Microbial evolution, perhaps triggered by contact w/ New World organismscontact w/ New World organisms TuberculosisTuberculosis New venereal diseasesNew venereal diseases PlaguesPlagues
Labor TransplantsLabor Transplants
Shortage of labor caused by plagues led Shortage of labor caused by plagues led to need to transport labor from unaffected to need to transport labor from unaffected areas to affected onesareas to affected ones
Largest source of unaffected labor in Largest source of unaffected labor in AfricaAfrica Beginnings of the slave tradeBeginnings of the slave trade Only way for tropical America to be Only way for tropical America to be
profitable was with slave importationprofitable was with slave importation
The End of Steppeland The End of Steppeland ImperialismImperialism
Mongols unable to reunify their powerMongols unable to reunify their power Uzbeks defeated by the Safavid IranUzbeks defeated by the Safavid Iran 1640s Manchu conquered China and est. 1640s Manchu conquered China and est.
Qing Dynasty, which then broke power of Qing Dynasty, which then broke power of rest of eastern Steppes rest of eastern Steppes
Causes of decline in steppelanders: Causes of decline in steppelanders: Military revolution, movement of main Military revolution, movement of main trade routes away from land routestrade routes away from land routes
Pastoralism gives way to Pastoralism gives way to AgricultureAgriculture
Russians shift view from dominating Russians shift view from dominating resources to colonizing landresources to colonizing land
Encroaching farmers pushing out native Encroaching farmers pushing out native pastoralistspastoralists English into Ireland and Scottish highlandsEnglish into Ireland and Scottish highlands Japanese finish conquest of Ainu in Japanese finish conquest of Ainu in
HokkaidoHokkaido Qing into Central AsiaQing into Central Asia
China’s ImperialismChina’s Imperialism
Manchu rulers of Qing China started Manchu rulers of Qing China started aggressive agrarian expansionaggressive agrarian expansion Eliminated up to ¾ of existing populaceEliminated up to ¾ of existing populace Civil wars between Ming holdouts and Civil wars between Ming holdouts and
Manchu forces sent refugees into new landsManchu forces sent refugees into new lands Conquered Taiwan in 1660Conquered Taiwan in 1660 Pushed into Mongolia and ManchuriaPushed into Mongolia and Manchuria
Spanish EmpireSpanish Empire
Labor animals and plows allowed farming Labor animals and plows allowed farming in regions never before developedin regions never before developed
Built a largely urban empireBuilt a largely urban empire
Spanish architecture replaced native Spanish architecture replaced native buildingbuilding
Brazil Brazil
Portuguese initially simply interested in Portuguese initially simply interested in ports for tradeports for trade
Discovery of gold and diamonds in the Discovery of gold and diamonds in the interior prompted Portuguese to move interior prompted Portuguese to move into the inland of Brazilinto the inland of Brazil
Conflict with Spanish over Amazon basinConflict with Spanish over Amazon basin 1630-16801630-1680
British N. AmericaBritish N. America Only iron pyrite “fool’s gold” in areas left to the Only iron pyrite “fool’s gold” in areas left to the
French and British French and British Fur, timber, and fish were major resources, but could Fur, timber, and fish were major resources, but could
not support large populationnot support large population Tobacco became the most important cash cropTobacco became the most important cash crop Subsistence farming possible but never a route to Subsistence farming possible but never a route to
prosperityprosperity New England becomes a maritime civilization New England becomes a maritime civilization
providing shippingproviding shipping Slave tradeSlave trade Rum exportRum export East India Trade in silk and porcelainEast India Trade in silk and porcelain
Southern America builds wealth through massive for-Southern America builds wealth through massive for-profit farmingprofit farming Leads to significant cultural and socio-economic Leads to significant cultural and socio-economic
differences between the two regionsdifferences between the two regions
New Energy SourcesNew Energy Sources Monarchs undertook massive surveys of Monarchs undertook massive surveys of
land to look for areas to increase land to look for areas to increase productionproduction
Exploration led to discovery of new Exploration led to discovery of new energy sourcesenergy sources Timber from cleared areasTimber from cleared areas Oil from aggressive whaling Oil from aggressive whaling Cottonseed and linseed oilCottonseed and linseed oil Peat from bogs in Ireland and HollandPeat from bogs in Ireland and Holland CoalCoal
Land Reclamation Land Reclamation Holland lost massive amounts of land to Holland lost massive amounts of land to
sea encroachmentsea encroachment Reclamation became matter of survival for Reclamation became matter of survival for
the nationthe nation Developed windmill driven pumps to keep Developed windmill driven pumps to keep
seawater outseawater out
England began draining fenlandsEngland began draining fenlands Japan began working to drain river deltasJapan began working to drain river deltas