The Columbian Exchange

Abstract

The Columbian Exchange refers to the flow of plants, animals and microbes across the Atlantic Ocean and beyond. Coined in 1972 by the historian Alfred Crosby, the Columbian Exchange set in motion Christopher Columbus' historic voyage to the Americas in 1492. Crosby used the term "Columbian Exchange" to describe the process of biological diffusion that arose following Europe's colonization of the Americas. Crosby's The Columbian Exchange: Biological and Cultural Consequences of 1492 chronicled the wide-ranging consequences of the transfer of diseases, plants and animals that ensued after 1492. The book, essentially consisting of a series of interlocking essays, documented the impact of Old World plants and animals on the Americas, the global dissemination of New World foods, and how European colonization resulted in the transmission of pathogens. Crosby made forceful arguments to support his claim that the most significant consequences of European colonization of the new world were biological in nature.

The New Normal: History and Impact of Pandemics

“…37, Issue 1, 2021 cultural life of both Americans and Europeans. 19 Many people got various diseases first time in their life and became immune against it. In contrast, people with a weak immune response did not survive.…”

The Columbian Exchange and Conflict in Asia

“…The overland route from northeastern India to Bengal and Assam was also a source of new varieties (Mazumdar, 1999). In land-scarce China, the adoption of New World crops was comparatively rapid (Earle, 2012). 55% of the country's land was suitable for maize and 20% for sweet potatoes.…”

“…Sweet potatoes grew in marginal soil, resisted drought, withstood pests, and demanded little labor (Mazumdar, 1999). They allowed new land to be brought under cultivation (Earle, 2012). These combined productivity and insurance effects of sweet potatoes fueled population growth, and mitigated the impact of drought on peasant revolts (Jia, 2014).…”

“…These combined productivity and insurance effects of sweet potatoes fueled population growth, and mitigated the impact of drought on peasant revolts (Jia, 2014). The adoption of sweet potatoes and maize was driven by peasants, rather than elites, due to their high caloric content and lower labor requirements (Earle, 2012). Groundnuts were introduced as early as 1538 (Mazumdar, 1999).…”

“…In India, the Portuguese and Dutch introduced most New World crops in the regions around Goa, Surat, Cochin, and Bengal (Mazumdar, 1999). The diffusion of New World crops was slower in India than in China, possibly due to lower pressure on agricultural land; their adoption increased under colonial pressure (Earle, 2012) and was particularly notable in the nineteenth century (Mazumdar, 1999). New World crops are noted in several sources earlier: pineapples were regularly served to the Mughal emperor Akbar, and guavas were also noted by accounts from the 1600s (Crosby, 1972;Mazumdar, 1999).…”