Changes After The Columbian Exchange After 1492

The Columbian Exchange, following Columbus’s voyage to the Americas in 1492, led to many varieties of changes for people of the Old and New Worlds. There were also continuities that remained for the Old World after 1492. The changes were mostly associated with demographics of both the hemispheres and new trade opportunities and needs. Whereas the continuities were more related to power, religion, and certain economic aspects in the Old World.

After the Columbian Exchange, there were drastic changes that impacted both the New and Old worlds. Among the most important was the massive population swings that took place. The native people of the New World were nearly wiped out due to the introduction of new and dangerous diseases. These disease

The continuation European dominance on the sea was one of them. The Europeans had established travel and trade in their part of the Atlantic Ocean as well as to more distant locations such as East Asia for years. This was because of their advanced maritime technology and knowledge which made them capable of such large scale maritime endeavors prior to 1492. The Portuguese, for example, had set up a trade empire in the Indian Ocean that even extended as far into the East Indies and were actively trading throughout the region. This continued with the New World because they were so effective on water. Economically, the European control of the slave trade was present before the exchange, it simply wasn’t a large-scale transcontinental operation yet. The import of slaves had been forcefully conducted by the Europeans for years because of the need to fill sugar plantations in the Mediterranean as well as other regions with workers. The top importers were France, Italy, and some other Mediterranean states. However, the majority of these slave expeditions were started from London by the British in an attempt to make extra profit. Last but not least of the continuities was the ever present missionary and expansionistic view of Christianity, which originated from Paul and Jesus himself. The followers of Christ had already made attempts to spread the religion several times before the Columbian Exchange into regions such as Africa, India, and Southeast Asia where they had established previous influence through trading ports. But only some of these attempts actually worked. They also took part in the Crusades in an attempt to reestablish Christianity in the Holy Land. The majority of these continuities were present in the rather developed and population Old World, compared to after the exchange where the whole world was altered