Negative Effects Of The Columbian Exchange

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ey helped establish food supplies and communication between settlements. Furthermore, as settlements were communicating with increased speeds due to horses, they started to develop better techniques and technology. Technology was also a part of the Columbian Exchange, due to the fact that it increased resources and necessities for production broad on technological advancements. In addition, the Old World technology arrived in the New World in the form of a written alphabet that enhanced communication with natives, improved architecture allowing for more people to settle in smaller colonies, and better weapons that were used to efficiently hunt animals (Wallenfeldt 81). This in turn allowed settlers to have better protection from native wildlife and animals. Communication with the Natives was paramount as they had knowledge of the land and of its resources. …show more content…

However, trade and commerce had a negative effect on both sides as well, namely disease. Disease killed a lot of Native Americans as well as gave syphilis to the Old World. The Old World exchanged a vast amount of diseases, for example, smallpox, measles, malaria, yellow fever, influenza, and chick pox. In the New World, the diseases that were exchanged with the Old World were syphilis, polio, hepatitis, and encephalitis (“The Columbian Exchange Introduction”). Due to the fact that both Old and New Worlds had all those illnesses that were crossing the ocean, the Native American population was diminished. The cause of so many deaths was because Native Americans were incapable of surviving the