Though there were positive effects, the Columbian Exchange had a long-lasting negative impact. Considerably, the Colombian Exchange was an exchange of guns, germs, gold, and (religious) glory.
For generations, Christopher Columbus was considered a hero of American history. He and the European explorers that followed were credited with bringing civilization to a new land. Their discoveries provided a way for Europeans to leave the continent and make new lives for themselves. While the explorers were on a quest for gold and riches, they also sought to spread Christianity and European ideals. In their view, the peoples they encountered in the New World were uncivilized and ignorant. They brought European ideas and Western religion to the continent, leading to a mixing of cultures.
Christopher Columbus’s arrival in the Americas facilitated the exchange of plants, animals and new diseases.
Europeans did bring new technologies and animals such as horses, cattle, sheep, and goats. However, those improvements came at a high price. The conquistadors (Spanish invaders) destroyed religious temples, and they killed those who refused to convert. Guns traded to indigenous peoples also increased the death toll among tribes fighting amongst one another, especially in North America.
More than guns, the most devastating result of the Columbian Exchange was the spread of disease. In the years following European invasion, it is estimated that up to 95 percent of the Americas’ total population died. That’s approximately 19 million people. The native population was almost wiped out. The main cause of death was disease, such as smallpox. These diseases did not exist in the New World prior to the European’s arrival. Because the native peoples had no natural immunity, they became sick. Europeans were less affected by disease outbreaks because they had been exposed to the germs before when they worked with domesticated animals. There was also little understanding of disease and how to contain outbreaks. As a result, these diseases spread rapidly. Also, since there was very little understanding of disease, the Europeans thought the native peoples were weak and sickly. Huge numbers of the native populations were wiped out from diseases, which led to a big shortage of labor. In addition, native people knew the land and could often escape if they were forced to work. Europeans quickly realized that they could not build a workforce out of the native peoples. The Europeans needed manual labor for the agricultural enterprises they set up, so they turned to the African slave trade. Beginning in the 1500s, thousands upon thousands of enslaved Africans were shipped to the continent.
In fact, the majority of enslaved Africans ended up in the Caribbean, Central America, and South America (ultimately almost 12 million). Approximately 500,000 were shipped to North America. Current economic hardships and social injustices today can still be traced back to the period of European domination. For example, native populations all over the North American continent struggle with issues of poverty and lack of opportunities. While there are still some Incan, Mayan, Aztec, and Native American cultures that remain today, many continue to struggle some 500 years after Columbus.
I hope this helps! My father was a world history teacher, so I may have provided a little excess information, depending on what you have and have not covered in your studies of the Columbian Exchange. :)
