Answer :
Final answer:
The Columbian Exchange was a pivotal event starting in 1492 that involved the transfer of plants, animals, microbes, and culture between the Americas and the Old World, revolutionizing diets, economies, and societies globally.
Explanation:
The Columbian Exchange
The Columbian Exchange refers to the extensive transfer of plants, animals, microbes, and culture between the Americas and the rest of the world following Christopher Columbus's arrival in the Caribbean in 1492. This exchange significantly impacted global nutrition, population growth, agriculture, and the spread of diseases.
From the Old World to the Americas, items like grapes, sugar cane, olives, onions, coffee beans, wheat, oats, and barley were introduced. In return, the Americas supplied pumpkins, squash, cacao beans, and tomatoes. Moreover, the exchange saw the movement of people, resulting in changes in labor, the spread of various cultures, and shifts in economic systems. Animal species were also part of this exchange, with pigs, sheep, chickens, and cattle being brought to the Americas and thriving there. Unfortunately, this also included the tragic transfer of diseases to the native populations, which led to devastating death tolls. The modern world, with its varied diets and economic interdependencies, owes much to the profound transformations initiated by the Columbian Exchange.
