Positive Effects Of The Columbian Exchange

The Columbian Exchange was the trade of anything from the New World (the colonies in America) to Europe and vice versa. Two items that derived from the Columbian Exchange were smallpox and tobacco. Smallpox is a deadly disease that was transferred from the Europeans to many native citizens of America when they arrived. The second item that derived from the Columbian Exchange was tobacco. Tobacco is a plant that contains nicotine that is popular to smoke and has also been linked to religious ceremonies both in this generation along with generations farther back. Though trade brings both positive and negative effects to both spectrums of people, the trade during the Columbian Exchange of smallpox from the Europeans to Native Americans held a

One positive effect the trade of tobacco had on Europe was the economic benefits that came with growing tobacco. Europe forbid trade with other countries from the colonies unless granted permission. This allowed Europe to get the crops and resources needed in order to thrive. Tobacco became one of the important crops, because gold was not as big of a resource as they thought it would be. The economic benefits came to Europe from the ability of Europe to tax tobacco sales that were done to Native Americans, as well as the selling of tobacco in Europe itself (Colonial Tobacco). This is important because it allowed Europe to have a control on trade, as well as benefit the most economically. Another positive effect the trade of tobacco had on Europe was the finding of rich land for Europe to thrive on for farming and trade. It is said that Virginia held great land for farming which allowed farming of more tobacco and other products to put on the trade market to Europe and for Europe to thrive economically on (Modern Farmer). The idea of Europe finding rich land in Virginia through tobacco trade is important because it allows Europe to continue thriving economically from the colonies as well, as a boom in immigration to the land from other potential farmers, which grew the colonies and the

Tobacco held a negative impact for America through the trade. A negative impact of the trade of tobacco through the Columbian Exchange was the introduction of slavery to America. Due to the high amount of labor that came from farming tobacco, slaves were brought in from Africa and the Caribbean. By 1704, there were around 10,000 black slaves in Virginia, however some were granted partial freedom of ability to buy land and marry (Digital History). The idea of slavery that came from tobacco trade held a negative impact for America because it began a cycle of slavery that would continue for years on. Another negative impact of the trade of tobacco through the Columbian Exchange was the depilation of the soil that came from tobacco farming. Because the soil was being used so frequently from tobacco farming, it began to deplete, which although farming was at success before, you can only farm so much before the land becomes unusable (Lecture, January 21). This is a negative impact on the America because it restricts the number of items that they can trade out and/or sell for profit because once the land is unusable, you do not have much choice with that