The Columbian Exchange

Columbian exchange is the exchange of ideas, diseases, population and food following Christopher Columbus rediscover of the New World.

Old World (Eastern Hemisphere) discovered metals, crops (potatoes, maize, tomatoes, cacao, chili peppers, peanuts, etc.). Now culinary centrepieces need those ingredients to get cooked (Indian, Korean, Mediterranean, Hungarian, Malaysian, Thai food).

Transmission of diseases to isolated communities for which didn’t have immunity. Black Death (14th cent.), typhus, cholera, etc. On the home return, Europeans brought syphilis.

Direct impact on other world regions: Africa and Asia. Exploration and colonization of this regions, because of the discovery of a treatment against malaria. Also, abduction of African people to become slaves, due to the big death of native Americans (12 million slaves 16th – 19th cent.).

Potatoes introduce on the Old World 🡪 Increasing population and urbanism. Increased availability of sugar made English welfare to go up by an 8 per cent by 1850, the same with coffee.

DISEASE: SPREAD FROM OLD WORLD TO THE NEW

Major killers: smallpox, measles, whooping cough, chicken pox, bubonic plague, typhus, malaria.

Immunologically defenceless. Before the exchange, they lived in a disease-free environment.

Depopulation was approximately of 80-95% within the first 100-150 years following 1492. Native Taino of Hispaniola (60,000 – 8 mil. Inhabitants) decreased to the extinction.  Central Mexico’s one from 15 million to 1.5 million in a century (1519-1619).

Least affected populations: 80% loss; 90% typical; 100% most affected.

We don’t know the exact number of deaths: maybe diseases could have travelled faster than conquerors, and have killed some people before they arrived. The estimated population before the colonization is between 8 million and 110 million, without any consensus.

SYPHILIS: A NEW WORLD DISEASE?
Few examples of diseases coming from New World.

One of the diseases that changed the world.

Nowadays is a nonfatal disease, effectively treated with penicillin. 15th-16th century symptoms and fatality were severe (tumours, pain, dementia, rashes and eventual death). It changed and became less fatal: 17th century it changed to what we know nowadays.

Theories of origin: “Columbian hypothesis, Columbus and crew acquired it during sexual encounters in Hispaniola and brought it into Europe. Some of this man joined military campaign of Charles VIII of France and laid siege to Naples (1492). With their encounters with local prostitutes, the disease expanded: merchandise, then spread it throughout Europe. 5 years of arrive, it was epidemical. Hungary/Russia (1497), Africa/Middle East/India (98), China (1505), Australia (1515), Japan (1569).

“Pre-Columbian Hypothesis” it had always existed. Prior to this time, it had not been separated from other diseases which had similar impacts. Skeletal scars like syphilis ones.

It has been discovered that the bacterium of syphilis arose recently in humans and its close to a variation of a tropical disease based in Guyana.

TRANSFER OF NEW WORLD FOODS TO THE OLD WORLD

It was a requisite for the population explosion and the Industrial Revolution. 

Two channels throughout which Columbian Exchange expanded global supply of agricultural goods. 1. Introduction of previously unknown species. Nutritional and caloric improvings. Others complemented vitamin intake and taste. Effect on local cuisines: Chili (India’s curry, Hungary’s paprika), tomatoes (Italian and Mediterranean food). 2. Providing well-suited land for cultivation of crops with high demand on Old World (coffee, sugar, oranges, bananas, soybeans)

Nowadays, this food represents an important percentage of world consumption of food. The two most consumed crops (rice and wheat) are Old World crops, , many of the following are not, 4 on the top 10 (maize, potatoes, cassava, sweet potatoes). Tomatoes are 15th. Also, cacao and peppers.

Staple Crops: Potatoes, Sweet Potatoes, Maize, and Cassava

Range of new crops, which could be grown in places of the Old World which prior to 1492 were considered useless (sandiness, altitude, aridity).

They also complemented the plantation seasoning of the Old-World crops.

Ex. Maize has been adopted by Lesotho (1500 calories/day of maize), Malawi, Zambia. 

Cassava (top 10 consuming countries are in the Old World)

Although problems they can cause if consumed insufficiently processed or too much (pellagra, konzo) provide sustenance for millions of people.

Potatoes: largest impact. Calories and nutrients. We can subsist with only potatoes, butter and milk (potatoes miss vitamins A and D). Irish diet.

Consequences of potatoes introduction: population growth in the Old World in a 12% of increase in avg. 47% of urbanization after adoption of them explains it.

Capsicum Peppers: Brazil and Bolivia → Mesoamerica/Caribbean by Spanish arrival. Ancestor of all peppers. Reached Spain (1493), India (1542). In Hungary, Paprika is nowadays national spice (mentioned in 1569). South and East Asia, used in base for almost every dish (curries, kimchi). Nutritious, more Vitamin A than any other plant, and B, C if eaten raw (more than citrus), magnesium and iron. Aid digestion (alkaloid irritant, generates saliva and passage of food through mouth and stomach). In vast amounts, oral burning. Used in medicine (pain, toothache, shingles, respiratory disorders, etc).

Tomatoes: South America (1000 years before Spaniards). First mentioned in 1544 (first in Europe, Italy, yellow). Cultivated by France, Spain, Italy. Brought to Philippines by Spaniards, in 1564. In China, food of “south barbarians” and not cultivated until 20th. Lack of preservation: become putrid in hot climates. Canning was the solution, improved in the 20th, growth of tomato consumption. Nowadays, consumed in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern (Greece 1st). Producers top 10: 8 in Old World, Mexico and Brazil. Vitamins A and C. More nutrients and vitamins than any other fruit/vegetable. Researchers say it may reduce cancer.

Cacao: Codex Mendoza (daily life, explained 20 years after Spaniards in Mexico), when Cortés arrived, chocolate cultivated in Yucatan and distributed throughout the Empire. Columbus brought cocoa to Fernando I, and it was cultivated by Spaniards off the coast of Africa (1590). First very expensive. Spain, then France and Italy. During 17th it turned to be a cheaper beverage. Spaniards had the monopoly until 17th when French cultivated it in St. Lucia and Martinique and Dutch in Indonesia (which remains as one of the biggest producers). Today, West Africa, biggest producers (Cotte d’Ivoire). Energy (Roald Amundsen’s road to South Pole).

Plain Vanilla: Eastern and Southern Mexico, Central America and Northern South America. It isn’t known if it was brought to Spain by Cortés or another traveller. 2nd half of 16th used to flavour chocolate in Spain. Adopted by aristocratic circles. French tried to start cultivating it in the 18th and use it to flavour ice, perfumes, tobacco, but there wasn’t any insect to pollinize. In 1836 a Belgian botanist accomplished to do it by hand. French former and current colonies are the biggest producers of this plant (Réunion, French Polynesia and Comoros) and Indonesia, Madagascar, China and Mexico.

Tobacco: Native Americans used it as a painkiller and hallucinogen since the 1st century BCE. They inhaled smoke through a Y-shaped tube (2 for nostrils, 1 for pastille of burning leaves). Europeans adopted it, consumed as a medicine. Since a French ambassador in Portugal sent it to the queen due to medical purposes, it was declared Herba Regina. In England used by sailors. Spread to all Europe by 17th century. Used as currency in Maryland and Virginia, also Buddhist monks in Japan. Consumption increased during FWW (soldier’s smoke). 1950’s: the negative effects on health start an anticampaign. Consumption decline in developed countries, it has the contrary effect on less-developed (China). Biggest cause of preventable death.

Coca: native to Andes. During Incan Empire chewed in rituals. Spanish brought it back to Europe. Sigmund Freud defended its effects on creativity and stamina, and decrease of hunger (after listening to the Belgian troops used it to perform better). Most famous use, Coca-Cola (substitute to alcohol in Atlanta). Nowadays, cocaine is one of the most highly traded illegal substance of the world. Only three New World countries produce supplies (Colombia 62%, Perú 28% and Bolivia 10%). Big amount of GDP come from this crop.

IMPROVED CULTIVATION OF OLD WORLD FOODS IN THE NEW WORLD

Columbus discovered that there were some crops cultivated in the Old World that suited better in the New World soils. Nowadays, those countries produce a disproportionate amount of them. North-South climate change is higher than East-West one, so they encountered new land to plant on. Isolation benefited two different evolution of plants, parasites and pests. They benefited of being transplanted (this explains rubber and coffee production, which is inverse to logic).

Sugar cane: Example of Old World crop fitting best in the New World (carried by Columbus on 1493 from Canary Islands to Santo Domingo). They brought slaves from Africa to America to work on the crops, and export the production to Europe (Portuguese did the same). 16th century Dutch, English and French turned to sugar production in their own sugar colonies. 1st time in history that there was enough supply (increasing consumption). Cheap and easy source for working class. 19th increased because of the processed foods. It increased (1600-1850) English welfare by 8%. It is also said that helped to create an English working class (because of sating/drugging). 45% produced in Americas (Brazil, Mexico, USA, Colombia).

INDIRECT CONSEQUENCES OF THE COLUMBIAN EXCHANGE

Quinine (the New World gift to Europe’s Old World Colonies)

Anti-malarial medicine. Importance in African colonies. Derived from chinchona (Andes) tree which grows in high altitudes. The British, with lots of colonies in places affected by malaria, were interested in farming this tree outside the Andes. They wanted to buy and steal chinchona from the Andes, and bring it to London, and then plant it in India and Ceylon (and they accomplished). In 1880, they could give ten million people a daily dose. It helped to colonise tropical zones.

Rubber in the Heart of Darkness

Rubber is made of latex. The commercial one is grown in South and Central America, as well as West-Central Africa. Used very little by Africans (adhesive for arrows), native Americans used it in several things (boots, tents, syringes, toys, etc.). Europeans didn’t realize of the benefits until 1770. 19th used in production of shoes. Vulcanization meant the boom of rubber (combining it with other chemicals) which produced a more stable product (1851-1881: production increased from 2500 to 20000 tonnes annually).1880-1910 rubber boom: insulator for electricity, tires, etc. In 1876, the English also took 70000 Hevea seeds from Amazon to plant them in India and Ceylon (nowadays Asia dominates this industry). It was also grown in the Congo. They made lots of atrocities to cultivate this plant: massacres, burning villages, murders, etc. Population of the Congo decreased from 25 million, prior to the boom, to 7.7 million after it (1923): it means and individual for every 10 kg. of rubber in the Congo.

Forced and Voluntary Migrations to the Americas

19th: 12 million Africans shipped to Americas (transatlantic slave trade) because of population decrease in N.America (diseases) and valuable crops in New World soils. The height: 18th. In 19th it slowed because of British Slave Trade Act (1807) and British Slavery Abolition Act (1937). Bonded labour to supply cheap labour. Form India and Indochina to Caribbean (English Empire). Also, China after losing Opium Wars. Sugar/cotton (Peru), sugar cane (Cuba), railways (USA, British Columbia). The indentured workers also had slavery-related problems: malnutrition, crowded expeditions to Americas from home countries, denied citizenship. 19th 20th centuries lots of voluntary migrations, specially to USA, Argentina and Brazil (45 million). Ancestors in many New World countries are from Old World (Haiti 100%, 98% African; Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago 100%) (Uruguay and Argentina, more than 80% European).

CONCLUSION

Consequences in lowered prices, Industrial Revolution, etc.

Slaves trade had negative impact in African politics, socials and economics.