How the American Exchange Shaped the Modern World Between 1500 and 1800.

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Among the islands of the Caribbean the local Indian population was small and plantations needed to import labor. European settlers looked elsewhere and soon the African slaves made their presence, bringing about an economic growth spike. The African slaves were resistant to disease and didn’t possess the family ties or the familiarity with the lands that the Indians had, making them a superior candidate for enslavement. Mainly used in agricultural areas of the southern states, Caribbean, and eastern South America, the slave population at times outnumbered that of the white settlers by 10 to 1.[1] The short-term effects were realized in the production of crops for trade, such as tobacco, cotton, and sugar by the plantation owners. The labor for harvesting made for a quick and profitable turn around, unfortunately the textiles reeked havoc on the British Wool industry. On the flip side, the short-term effects also took a toll on the Africans as their families were split, leaving a void in their lives and causing uprisings among the African nations. Another affect of the slave trade among Africans was the sexual imbalance. Male slaved were exported heavily, leaving excessive females to fill the labor gap, leading to the promotion of polygamy in Africa.[2] The long-term effects of slavery caused civil wars and political action on the global front, paving the way for international organizations that ended slavery worldwide.

Trading between the continents and the spread of European influence led to the formation of multicultural societies. Settlers brought different religion and bureaucracy to the colonies, often outlawing the traditional native rituals, leaving a lasting effect on the indigenous culture. The social classes began to form and the mix of European and African blood with the indigenous people brought Mestizo and Mulattoes societies into existence. Along with social changes, the spread of Christianity was prevalent and missionaries and traders began to spread their beliefs across the oceans. Christianity didn’t just travel to America but also from America as influence was projected to the Pacific Islands, Asia, and the Middle East. Some took to the new religion while other nations resisted and closed their borders to limit the influence.

The seventeenth century continued to bring economic wealth to Europe and the world. American raw materials and natural resources were plentiful and trade routes were bustling for the commodities of America. The initial benefits of the American Exchange had an impact on population growth due to increased income and a healthier diet. Global trade and economies of scale developed and traders were richly rewarded. The subsequent reliance on imports worldwide created interdependence globally that has continued to evolve to the present day. The lower cost of resources and a variety of alternatives reshaped the way the world lived and the trade of plants to and from the Americas turned what was once infertile land into productive farming regions.

Overall, the Americas helped shape the modern world, initially through the seizure of land, gold, silver and other tokens of treasure that prompted growth and then through interdependence and commerce. The global scale of the trade influenced nearly every nation in the world, bringing nutrition to barren lands and furs to the wealthy where the luxuries became necessities. The establishment of colonies and the demise of the native populations brought early European strength to the new world, and eventually the sovereignty of a new Nation.

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