HIST1083 Lecture Notes - Lecture 10: The Columbian Exchange, Corn Syrup, Global Exchange
Document Summary
The exchanges that occurred throughout the world that happened after the discovery of the americas. Before 1492, the americas isolated from the rest of the world. Age of discovery created a new bridge between old and new worlds. Transfer of plants, animals, people, culture between old and new world. Non-shattering , edible, farmable teosinte (corn) was created by repeatedly crossbreeding teosinte with eastern gamagrass. Avoided need for fertilizer, plows, fallow period. Efficient, high calorie output, no need for resting ground because of exhaustion of nutrients. Massive demand which drives a demand to old world. Import from africa to do work in plantations. Cultivation of sugarcane drives huge demand of labor. Over 80% of sales of sugar by 1800s. Came from europe and shaped the americas. Lack of population and shortage of labor. Responsible for million worth of environmental damage.
