What is the Columbian Exchange?
The Columbian Exchange refers to the period after Christopher Columbus landed in the Caribbean. This first contact with the native peoples began an exchange that continues to have impact. Columbus and his men unwittingly began an exchange of diseases, animals, and plants with the native people. This exchange continued every time a European ship landed in American waters. Diseases such as small pox, the Black Plague, and even the flu were passed to the native populations who had not been exposed to the diseases before. The Europeans brought animals that, without natural predators, invaded the islands and completely altered the ecosystem. Europeans in turn took back plants and animals that changed the Old World. Chocolate, tomatoes, potatoes, and peppers all had a major impact on the worlds cuisine. This transfer of culture, disease, flora, and fauna still continues today.
