Part 1: the Columbian Exchange and the Americas – Introduction
Of course, there were complex networks of exchange long before Columbus reached the “new” land of the Americas, networks that were far from new to the people who lived there. This connection between Europe and the Americas created a truly global network that would forever alter the world’s people, plants, and animals. The introduction of the potato to Europe enabled population growth. Smallpox came to the Americas, eliminating more than half—possibly as much as 90 percent—of the indigenous population. Thousands, and eventually millions, of enslaved Africans were brought to the Americas. Horses—such as the mustang—that had never set hooves on the American continents were introduced and flourished so widely many of us mistakenly think they were always part of the environment. Similar misunderstandings surround many of the living things that were moved by people hundreds of years ago. They are now so thoroughly integrated that we need historians to sort out how, why, when, and where they appeared.
Learning Objectives
- Understand and evaluate the transfer of crops before and after the Columbian Exchange.
- Learn about the Columbian Exchange and evaluate the changes to communities, networks, and the environment that occurred because of this exchange.
- Assess the connection between the Columbian Exchange, the transatlantic slave trade, and the plantation system.
- Evaluate the impact of the Columbian Exchange and transatlantic migrations on communities in Afro-Eurasia and the Americas.
- Use the historical thinking practice of sourcing to evaluate differing perspectives of European and indigenous American interactions.
Coursework
Exercise: We will watch John Leguizamo’s Latin American History for Morons in class. Take notes to answer the following questions on Blackboard:
- List five things from the video that we have referenced in class or in the readings THEN
- Answer: How did he make direct connections from the past to life today? (paragraph form)
- Be prepared to discuss in class
- Blackboard:
Part 2: Trans-Oceanic Connection – Introduction
There is no doubt that increasing transoceanic connections had a massive impact on the lives of people around the world. These connections had some largely positive effects, such as the spread of information that led to many technological innovations—but these connections also had some extreme consequences. In this lesson, we will look at the impact of colonization on networks, communities, and production and distribution, as well as consider the impact of new global connections on economic systems. You will think about how these increasing global connections impacted people and societies around the world and consider whether the effects of these connections were, overall, positive or negative.
Learning Objectives
- Understand the emergence of new economic systems and their impact on communities and networks.
- Evaluate capitalism as a new economic system that fueled colonization and the slave trade.
Coursework
Exercise: Empire Building
