20.4 Voice Thread
The global transfer of foods, plants, and animals during the colonization of the Americas is known as the Columbian Exchange.
Ships from the Americas brought back a wide variety of items that Europeans, Asians, and Africans had never before seen.
They brought plants as tomatoes, squash, pineapples, tobacco, and cacao beans (for chocolate).
The most important items to travel from the Americas to the rest of the world were corn and potatoes (Both inexpensive to grow and nutritious).
Over time, both crops became an important part of diets throughout the world and they helped people live longer.
Traffic across the Atlantic did not flow in just one direction, because Europeans introduced livestock animals into the Americas, as well as bananas, black-eyed peas, and yams.
The grains introduced to the Americas were wheat, rice, barley, and oats.
New wealth from the Americas helped the growth of overseas trade.
One aspect of the European economic revolution was the growth of capitalism, (an economic system based on private ownership and the investment of resources, such as money, for profit).
Governments were not the basis of great wealth anymore.
Because of overseas trade, numerous merchants had obtained great wealth.
The increase in economic activity in Europe led to an increase in many nations’ money supply. This brought on inflation, or the steady rise in the price of goods.
In Europe during the 1500s and 1600s, that common purpose was American colonization. It took large amounts of money to establish overseas colonies.
Europe then adopted a new economic policy known as mercantilism. Mercantilism was the theory that a country’s power depended mainly on its wealth.
Wealth allowed nations to build strong navies and purchase vital goods. As a result, the goal of every nation became the attainment of as much wealth as possible.
The economic changes that happened through much of Europe during the age of American colonization also led to changes in European society.
The economic revolution triggered the growth of towns and the start of a class of merchants who controlled great wealth.
The changes in European society only went so far. Although towns and cities grew in size, much of Europe’s population continued to live in rural areas.
Even though merchants and traders enjoyed social mobility, the majority of Europeans remained poor.
Ships from the Americas brought back a wide variety of items that Europeans, Asians, and Africans had never before seen.
They brought plants as tomatoes, squash, pineapples, tobacco, and cacao beans (for chocolate).
The most important items to travel from the Americas to the rest of the world were corn and potatoes (Both inexpensive to grow and nutritious).
Over time, both crops became an important part of diets throughout the world and they helped people live longer.
Traffic across the Atlantic did not flow in just one direction, because Europeans introduced livestock animals into the Americas, as well as bananas, black-eyed peas, and yams.
The grains introduced to the Americas were wheat, rice, barley, and oats.
New wealth from the Americas helped the growth of overseas trade.
One aspect of the European economic revolution was the growth of capitalism, (an economic system based on private ownership and the investment of resources, such as money, for profit).
Governments were not the basis of great wealth anymore.
Because of overseas trade, numerous merchants had obtained great wealth.
The increase in economic activity in Europe led to an increase in many nations’ money supply. This brought on inflation, or the steady rise in the price of goods.
In Europe during the 1500s and 1600s, that common purpose was American colonization. It took large amounts of money to establish overseas colonies.
Europe then adopted a new economic policy known as mercantilism. Mercantilism was the theory that a country’s power depended mainly on its wealth.
Wealth allowed nations to build strong navies and purchase vital goods. As a result, the goal of every nation became the attainment of as much wealth as possible.
The economic changes that happened through much of Europe during the age of American colonization also led to changes in European society.
The economic revolution triggered the growth of towns and the start of a class of merchants who controlled great wealth.
The changes in European society only went so far. Although towns and cities grew in size, much of Europe’s population continued to live in rural areas.
Even though merchants and traders enjoyed social mobility, the majority of Europeans remained poor.