The Columbian Exchange

Happy Columbus Day!

This holiday is often overlooked.  Few people recognize the true importance of this holiday.  Native Americans claim it is a holiday that celebrates their oppression, when the white man arrived on their continent.  While Columbus' discovery did bring negative things like disease and oppression, it also brought a lot of positive changes to both sides of the world.  This was the biggest event to happen in the history of humankind, and had the biggest world ecological impact since the continents drifted apart.  This event is known as "The Columbian Exchange."

The Columbian Exchange

What is the Columbian Exchange?  It is the term used to describe Old World exchanging animals, foods, cultures and diseases with the New World.  This had a HUGE impact on our species, and on the world ecology.  Prior to the 15th Century, Europe did not have cocoa, corn, potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, peanuts, tobacco, strawberries, squash or turkey.  Think on that for a moment... most European foods are based on New World plants.  Can you imagine Italian food without tomatoes?  Or Irish without potatoes?  Spanish food without peppers?  And no cocoa in Africa?  And no corn!!  Food must have been horribly bland before the Exchange.

And on the flip side of the ocean, the impact on Native American culture was just as significant, if not more-so!  Imagine North America without horses, nor cows, nor sheep, nor pigs, nor chickens, nor bees, nor rats.  No wheat.  No black pepper.  No apples.  No garlic.  No onions.  No sugar!!  In fact, when we think of Native Indian culture, we usually think of horses and "Indian Fry Bread."  But they did not have either one of those until Europeans arrived.  The arrival of horses allowed tribes to chase the buffalo, and to raid tribes that were previously too far away to bother.  And prior to farm animals being introduced, they survived on hunting and on eating dogs.  Yes, dogs.

Somehow, this all gets lost in dedicating this holiday to Christopher Columbus.  A Spaniard who was convinced he had found a new way to Asia.  He truly thought he was in India!  Obviously, he had never been to India before.  But that didn't stop him from naming the Native Americans "Indians," and somehow we still use that term today.  Even the natives call themselves "Indians!"  If Columbus had thought he landed in China, the natives would be called Chinese today.

Yet, there is another great explorer that should be recognized.  Amerigo Vespucci.  Also known as Americus Vespucius.  Do you know who he is?  You should!  He is the explorer our continent got it's name from.  This Italian explorer voyaged to the New World shortly after Columbus... and he was the first European to realize that the New World was NOT the continent of Asia, but an entirely new continent.  His letters describing the New World were published throughout Europe.  This was the first time most Europeans heard about the new continent.

Amerigo Vespucci

In 1507, a German map-maker named Martin Waldseemuller drew the first world map showing the new continent... and he named it "America," the female version of Amerigo's name.  Why the feminine name?  Because all of the other continents also had female names, and he figured the new continent should be no different.

1507 World Map by Martin Waldseemuller

So, I wish you Happy Columbian Exchange day!

Want to learn more about this event?  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbian_Exchange