HIST 1011 Lecture 14: The-Columbian-Exchange
Document Summary
Important development of life trade of crops and goods. Hundreds of thousands of people from europe, africa, and asia to america. Real exchange of crops: change of diets in afro-eurasia and america. Spanish planted first crops in the caribbean: grapes wine for church services, was not successful, sugar was more successful. First livestock: pigs: fondness for pork became symbol of christians because they were paranoid of jews pretending to be. Wheat: religious and dietary importance: wheat bread was highest status bread. Americans developed crops that are more nutritious than afro-eurasian crops: corn/maize, potato, sweet potato. The only afro-eurasian crop that was competitive enough was rice. Crops that are dug from the earth were low status crops potatoes. Originally in europe, the potatoes were poor people"s food: have small farms to grow potatoes. Ireland famous for potatoes: potatoes could cheaply feed the poor while they grow cash crops for landlords.
