Colombian Exchange: Biological
People throughout the world celebrate Christopher Columbus's accomplishments on October Twelfth. While many view him as a hero, certain facts suggest that Columbus was actually a villain! People tend to overlook the negative consequences of his voyages by just remembering and commemorating the positives. However, as the negative aspects of Columbus's discovery are being uncovered, it is becoming more and more apparent that he caused much more harm than good. The introduction of European culture in the "New Word " resulted in the spreading of many diseases, such as smallpox, which completely devastated the Native Americans. When Columbus discovered the American continents in 1492, two worlds met for the first time. The encounter between the two impacted the entire world, resulting in both positive and negative effects. This impact, known as the Columbian exchange, was a two way biological and cultural exchange between the Europeans and Native Americans. Columbus introduced Native Americans to commodities, such as,
Many Europeans felt confident they were doing the Indians a favor by bring about new changes to the "New World. The Native Americans of the "New World," introduced Europeans of the "Old World" to commodities and disease as well. Columbus also introduced atrocious diseases to the "New World" that completely destroyed Indian lifestyle. Although smallpox had been prevalent in Europe for a while, Europeans were beginning to build an immunity towards it by the 1500's. While syphilis did damage European culture, it doesn't compare to the devastating diseases the "New World" received. They enslaved the Indians, raped their women and stole their valuables all in the attempt to progress European civilization. At that time the course of humanity was orderly. " While trying to assimilate Native Americans to European customs, Columbus and his followers took advantage of the Indians. Unfortunately this was not the case for the people of the New World. Almost every Native American was predisposed to an attack and less than fifty percent of the infected, survived. Native American societies were beleaguered with the terror and panic smallpox produced, making it much easier for Europeans to conquer the "New World. " Amongst all the diseases Native Americans contracted, smallpox was by far the worst. The Columbian exchange altered Native American cultures at the expense of many lives. These commodities affected the Native American environment and lifestyle. Prior to Columbus's discovery, Native Americans had developed their own civilized cultures and were able to prosper without European influences.
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