The Colombian Exchange refers to the movement of livestock, crops, and cultural influences between the eastern and western hemispheres. It began with Christopher Columbus’ voyage in 1492 and had both positive and negative impacts, including the introduction of new crops and livestock, as well as the spread of diseases. The era also saw cultural movement, with Spaniards from the Andalusia region of Spain impacting the architecture, arts, and language of the areas they settled.
The Colombian Exchange is the name given to the era in which livestock, agricultural products and cultural influences moved between the eastern and western hemispheres. Christopher Columbus’ first voyage to the Americas in 1492 is considered to be the beginning of the era, and as a result of the interaction, societies in both hemispheres benefited from new products and suffered from new diseases. Author and historian Dr. Alfred Cros is credited with developing the term, which was the title of his 1972 book on the subject.
A major impact of this era was the introduction of new agricultural crops to every hemisphere. Before Columbus returned from the New World, for example, there were no potatoes grown outside the Americas, but within centuries, potatoes were among Ireland’s staple foods. They also became an important ingredient for Russian vodka, which has become a major export for that nation. Chocolate also made its way from the Americas and became very popular in Europe.
Crops such as corn and peanuts were transported by the Portuguese to Africa. These hardy plants could be grown in areas of southern Africa that previously could not support agricultural cultivation. Some historians attribute the increase in the region’s population to the introduction of these crops.
Livestock brought from Europe to the Americas also had a major impact. The Spanish introduced horses to the Western Hemisphere and some are credited with creating a nomadic lifestyle for many native tribes. Cattle were also brought in by Europeans. This allowed people in Texas to raise livestock on land that had previously been too harsh for farming.
Diseases were an unintended negative impact of the Colombian exchange. The Europeans carried germs against which they had developed immunity, but the people of the Americas had not developed any immunity and entire populations were decimated as a result. Some historians estimate that 50 to 90% of some South American civilizations were wiped out. Others believe that smallpox brought from Europe was the leading cause of death among Native Americans in North America.
The period was also a time of cultural movement. In the early part of the era, between 1492 and 1539, the movement of Spaniards into the Americas came mainly from the Andalusia region of Spain. The impact of this was felt in the architecture, arts and language of the areas where they settled.
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