In Depth: The Great Exchange
nThe Spanish and Portuguese arrival ended the isolation of
the New World from other societies.
nAfter 1500, millions of Europeans and Africans settled in
the Americas.
nBiological and ecological exchange - called the Columbian exchange - changed the character of both new and old societies.
•Old World
diseases decimated new World populations.
•Old World animals quickly multiplied in their new
environments and transformed the
structures of Indian societies.
•Both Old and New
Worlds exchanged crops and weeds.
•The spread of American plants - especially maize, manioc,
and the potato - had a major effect, allowing
population expansion in many world
regions.
