4.3 Colombian Exchange

• What is the title of the poem quoted in the study material?

  "Flowers and Songs of Sorrow"
• What does the excerpt from the poem suggest about the impact of conquest on native peoples?

  It suggests that conquest led to grief and suffering for the native peoples.
• What factors contributed to the decline of native populations during the Columbian Exchange?

  Superior weapons and diseases brought by Europeans.
• What were the three broad traditions of culture that interacted during the Columbian Exchange?

  Indigenous American, European, and African cultures.
• What was the impact of diseases on the indigenous population of the Americas?

  The indigenous population fell by more than 50 percent through disease alone.
• How did smallpox spread among indigenous populations?

  It was spread through the respiratory system by Europeans who were immune.
• What crops were introduced to Europe from the Americas during the Columbian Exchange?

  Maize, potatoes, tomatoes, beans, peppers, and cacao.
• What was the primary cash crop cultivated in Brazil during the Columbian Exchange?

  Sugarcane.
• How did the arrival of enslaved Africans impact the Americas?

  It brought biological and demographic changes, including new crops like okra and rice.
• What percentage of enslaved Africans were sent to the Caribbean and South America?

  More than 90 percent.
• What were the conditions like for enslaved Africans on sugar plantations?

  They faced backbreaking work, poor nutrition, and harsh living conditions.
• What cultural aspects did enslaved Africans retain in the Americas?

  They retained aspects of their music, food, and some cultural practices.
• What is the term for the dispersion of Africans out of Africa?

  African Diaspora.
• What is a creole language?

  A new language created by combining European and West African languages.
• What dish popular in the southern United States has roots in African cooking?

  Gumbo.
• What were the main types of exchanges during the Columbian Exchange from the Western Hemisphere to the Eastern Hemisphere?

  • Crops: Potatoes, maize, manioc, tobacco, cacao, peanuts, turkeys, llamas, alpacas
  • Animals: Guinea pigs
  • Diseases: Syphilis
  • People: Native Americans
  • Technology and Ideas: Rubber, quinine
• What were the environmental and demographic impacts of the Columbian Exchange?

  • Deforestation and soil depletion due to intensive agriculture
  • Increased strain on water resources
  • More densely populated communities leading to pollution
• What is the title of the poem quoted in the study material?

  "Flowers and Songs of Sorrow"
• What does the excerpt from the poem suggest about the impact of European conquest on native peoples?

  It suggests that the conquest was disastrous, leading to grief and suffering.
• What were the main causes of the Columbian Exchange?

  Initial contact, conquest, and colonization of the Americas.
• How did the Columbian Exchange affect the Eastern and Western Hemispheres?

  It linked them through the sharing of disease, foods, and animals.
• What role did Christopher Columbus play in the Columbian Exchange?

  He established the link between the Eastern and Western Hemispheres.
• What was one of the major consequences of the European conquest on native populations?

  Many native populations declined or were forced to submit.
• What factors contributed to the decline of native populations after European contact?

  Superior weapons and diseases brought by Europeans.
• What percentage of the indigenous population of the Americas fell due to disease?

  More than 50 percent.
• What was the impact of smallpox on indigenous populations?

  It was responsible for the majority of deaths among them.
• Who were the Spanish soldiers that brought diseases like smallpox to the Americas?

  Conquistadores.
• What other diseases, besides smallpox, affected native populations?

  Measles, influenza, and malaria.
• How did the introduction of horses affect American Indian culture in the Plains region?

  It transformed their hunting practices and increased food surplus.
• What crops were introduced to Europe from the Americas?

  Maize, potatoes, tomatoes, beans, peppers, and cacao.
• What was the primary cash crop that emerged in Brazil due to its climate?

  Sugarcane.
• Why did the Portuguese begin to import enslaved Africans to Brazil?

  To cultivate sugarcane due to a labor shortage.
• What was the impact of sugar cultivation on the transatlantic slave trade?

  It dramatically increased the number of Africans captured and sold.
• What percentage of enslaved Africans were sent to the Caribbean and South America?

  More than 90 percent.
• What were the conditions that enslaved Africans faced on sugar plantations?

  Backbreaking work, poor nutrition, and lack of shelter.
• What term refers to the sugar plantations in Brazil?

  Engenhos.
• How did the Spanish respond to Portugal's success in plantation agriculture?

  They returned to the Caribbean to pursue cash crop cultivation.
• What aspects of African culture were retained by enslaved Africans in the Americas?

  Some aspects of their languages, music, and cooking.
• What is a creole language?

  A new language created by combining European and West African languages.
• What musical traditions did enslaved Africans contribute to American culture?

  Gospel, blues, jazz, rock and roll, hip-hop, and country music.