AP US History in 1 Minute Daily: Columbian Exchange & the Americas (Day 9/309)

Welcome to day 9 of APUSH in 1 Minute Daily!

Today I will be explaining the Columbian Exchange and its impact on the Americas.

The Columbian Exchange Freeman-Pedia

To review, the Columbian Exchange is potentially the most important vocabulary term for APUSH Period 1. It refers to the transatlantic exchange of plants, animals, and diseases that occurred after the first European contact with the Americas.

Image of a Mesoamerican infected with smallpox. National Library of Medicine- Native Voices

The most significant impact on the Americas was the spread of disease. Epidemics, including smallpox and influenza, killed as many as 90-95% of the indigenous American population.

The Manner of Hunting on ye Continent of America University of New Hampshire

While some crops from Europe did increase agricultural productivity, new animals including horses, cattle, and pigs, provided new methods of transportation, sources of labor, and types of food. However, these animals wreaked havoc on ecosystems due to overgrazing and competition with native species.

So while there were some benefits from the introduction of new crops and animals, these pale in comparison to the devastation inflicted from the spread of European infectious diseases.

Join me tomorrow as I explain Spanish Conquest of the Americas in our next APUSH in 1 Minute Daily!