How Did The Columbian Exchange Affect Native Americans

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During the late 1400s and the early 1500s, European expeditioners began to explore the New World. Native Americans, who were living in America originally, were much different than the Europeans arriving at the New World; they had a different culture, diet, and religion. Eventually, both the Native Americans and the European colonists exchanged different aspects of their life. For example, Native Americans gave the Europeans corn, and the Europeans in return gave them modern weapons, such as various types of guns. This type of trade was called “the Columbian Exchange.” However, the Columbian exchange didn’t always benefit both the Native Americans and the Europeans. Diseases were also exchanged, specifically to the Native Americans. Whether the exchanges were positive or negative, the Columbian exchange had a huge global effect, both immediately after the exchange and long-term. The Columbian exchange caused inflation in Europe, change in hunting habits of Native Americans,change in farming habits within Europe, and a large decrease of Native American populations. The Columbian Exchange caused inflation in Europe. Silver …show more content…

Some of these were short-term effects, and others were long-term effects. The Columbian exchange is responsible for mass production of silver coins, which caused inflation; trade of corn and potatoes; which changed farming habits of Europeans; destruction of forests and plains in the New World, which caused Native Americans to change their hunting habits; and spread diseases, which caused a decline in Native American population. This is important because all of these effects of the Columbian exchange played a role in developing modern America. The Columbian exchange has helped shape America and without it, the America that stands today may be completely