What were some Indian products introduced to Europe from America?
What were some Indian products introduced to Europe from America? What were some things that were introduced to the Americas from Europe?
The period of exploration and colonization from the 15th to 17th centuries led to what is often referred to as the Columbian Exchange, named after Christopher Columbus. This was a widespread exchange of animals, plants, culture, human populations, diseases, technology, and ideas between the American and Afro-Eurasian hemispheres.
New World (Americas) to Old World (Europe):
Many foods we associate with global cuisine today were unknown in Europe, Africa, and Asia until they were introduced in the Americas. Some of these include:
Corn (maize)
Potatoes
Tomatoes
Peppers (both sweet and hot varieties)
Beans (several varieties)
Squashes and pumpkins
Turkeys
Avocados
Pineapples
Cacao (the basis for chocolate)
Vanilla
Tobacco
Several types of nuts (like pecans and cashews)
Various types of berries (like blueberries and cranberries)
Old World (Europe) to New World (Americas):
European exploration and colonization introduced several important animals, plants, and diseases to the Americas. These include:
Horses: The reintroduction of horses (they had gone extinct in the Americas thousands of years earlier) profoundly impacted many Native American cultures, especially in the Great Plains region.
Cattle: This includes both beef and dairy cattle.
Pigs
Sheep
Chickens
Wheat
Rice
Barley
Oats
Coffee
Citrus fruits (oranges, lemons, limes, etc.)
Sugar cane
Grapes (which led to wine production)
Diseases: Perhaps most devastating were the diseases introduced to the Americas by the Europeans, including smallpox, influenza, measles, whooping cough, and malaria, which caused widespread epidemics and resulted in massive death tolls among Native American populations.
The Columbian Exchange significantly impacted the societies in both hemispheres and dramatically changed the course of history.
The post What were some Indian products introduced to Europe from America? appeared first on Custom University Papers.