PLANTS
Diseases and animals completely reshaped the New World and now it is the Old Worlds plants that had the biggest effect on Eurasia, it changed both the economy and culture.
The abundance of new plants discovered in the Americas and taken to the Old World:
- Potato
- Maize
- Beans
- Squash
- Chili peppers
- Sunflowers
- Peanuts
- Tomatoes
- Sweet potatoes
- Avocado
- Pineapple
Potatoes originally came from the Andes in South America. They soon became an essential part of European diet, and they were important because they could resist the cold and grow in thin soil. All over Europe the potato was a dietary staple. So much that Ireland was so dependent on it that it forced thousands to migrate to avoid starvation.
Maize (American corn) was able to be stored dry and because of its adaptable nature it was able to successfully cultivate in various regions. Europe, Asia, and Africa still use corn today to supplement their diets.
The New World food was far more caloric compared to the Old World food which is the central reason that the world population doubled between 1650 and 1850. Because of this it placed population pressure on Eurasia which led to more people going to the Americas. In the process, the world's human inhabitants became more genetically and ethnically interconnected, but it also lead to the horrors of slavery.
Sugar cane is an essential food source in almost every culture. Columbus introduced sugarcane to the Americas on his second voyage, and it flourished under the plantation systems. Sugar is used in chocolate, rum, tea, and coffee making it very addictive and one of the largest cash crops.
The Americas, along with the sugar cane, received:
- Bananas
- Citrus fruit
- Coffee beans
- Grapes
- Onions
- Rice
- Wheat
Trade between both the Old and New World: