Columbian Exchange Political Impact

Michael Memis Period: 3 While the period immediately following the Middle Ages was a time of cultural and political change, the period after that was a time of great social, military, geographical, and environmental change. During that time, two important events happened, the Columbian Exchange and the Atlantic Slave Trade. The Columbian Exchange was the exchange of animals, plants, diseases, and ideas from Europe to the Americas. The Atlantic Slave Trade was when Africans who usually were in jail were sent to the Americas, mostly Brazil and the Caribbean to be slaves there. Although the Atlantic Slave

The Atlantic Slave Trade had some political impact. According to the article Riches & Misery: The Consequences of the Atlantic Slave Trade, the Atlantic Slave Trade may have been the reason for political stability in Europe during that time. Also, According to the article Africa and the Transatlantic Slave Trade, because exporting slaves was so important to Africa’s economy that they kidnapped Africans from, started wars with, or raided other tribes to get more slaves. It used to be that wars happened in Africa for other reasons and the byproduct are prisoners captured from the other side that may or may not have become slaves. One political impact of the Columbian Exchange was the expansion of the power of Spain. Spain was one of the first European countries to explore the Americas and settle there. They conquered most of Central and South America and also conquered parts of the United States and built the most powerful Navy in Europe. They defeated Native Americans there like the Aztecs and Incas through wars, brutality, and diseases which Europeans were immune but not the Native Americans since they were never introduced to it. According to the Video The Columbian Exchange: Crash Course World History #23, the Spanish came at a good time since the Inca leader died before the Spanish came which caused war and weakened them while the Aztec leader died before the Spanish came and the new leader wasn’t as good. The Spanish was a much more powerful empire than Portugal, England, and France. They were the most powerful water based empire until the Spanish Armada was defeated by England’s smaller navy led by Queen Elizabeth. Also, the Columbus Exchange led to future impactful events in Europe. The Columbus Exchange led to a large increase of population in Europe which led to other important events in the future. Alfred Crosby, the author of the book titled The