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Charles Mann 1492 Before And After Summary

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In “1492: Before and After,” Charles Mann discusses the unintended consequences of globalization. According to Mann, the Columbian Exchange was one of the most important historical events due to the ecological impacts on the Old and New Worlds. The exchange began with Columbus’ arrival and global commerce arose with the trade of goods such as precious metals, silks, and spices. However, the economic impact does not compare to the ecological impact of exchange of plants and animals. Mann credits many diseases to the Old World practice of domesticating animals. In the Americas, meat came from hunting, so people were not living in close-quarters with animals. With colonization, diseases such as smallpox and malaria wiped out large numbers of native …show more content…

The Eucharist of bread and wine is central to Christianity, as well as the sins of gluttony and lust, leading to caution against drinks and foods of temptation. Early Christians distinguished themselves by not following Jewish or Roman traditions, though they were influenced by the practices and cuisines of both. As with Judaism, fasting and acts of self-control were important, requiring fish and almond milk as alternatives to meat and dairy during Lent. A turning point came when Christians were accepted in the Roman Empire by Constantine, later becoming the dominant religion and eventually spreading across Europe and the globe. As Christianity became the ruling religion, the higher classes adopted more sophisticated and diverse cuisines. The invention of printing also helped distribute Christian cuisine through cookbooks. More importantly, Spanish colonization and Catholic missionaries the global spread of religion and cuisine. Many European culinary techniques were brought to the Americas, though only New World ingredients were transferred to the Old World, apart from chocolate processing. At first, Europeans were suspicious of the new foods, but they were eventually accepted. Crops like maize and potatoes and helped sustain populations in the Old World. However, without a full culinary exchange, Europeans

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