Economic And Economic Effects Of The Columbian Exchange

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Economic Effects of the Columbian Exchange
Inflation of cash-crops, slavery and silver resulting from the Columbian Exchange caused a drastic effect on the global economy. Cash-crops forged new trade routes across continents, slavery supported New World exports, and silver caused power shifts in the world 's distribution of wealth. As Spanish expeditions to the New World increased in size and purpose, the economic effects on the rest of the world spread with equal vigor. The triangular trade circulated commodities between Europe, Africa, and the Americas. From Europe some commodities were distributed throughout Asia. Some states thrived under the trade, while others economically deteriorated so drastically that they continue to suffer today. Despite the consequences, the trade connected the world closer than ever before.
A main reason why Europeans colonized the New World with such swiftness and determination lay in the drinks of nobles and the soil of peasants. Sugar was in high demand during the 1500s and 1600s, and the fertile coasts of the Carribean and Brazil made for a perfect environment. Sugar cane was just the tip of the iceberg: Europeans soon discovered crops native to the Americas that heavily impacted world economy, a prime example being the potato. Because the potato is a tuber, and therefor grows under-ground, it could be cultivated in the inhospitable lands of northern Europe and Asia. It quickly became the food of soldiers, industrial workers,