SS6H1 The student will describe the impact of European contact on Latin America.
b.Explain the impact of the Columbian Exchange on Latin America and Europe in terms of the
decline of the indigenous population, agricultural change, and the introduction of the horse.
Christopher Columbus “discovered” the New World in 1492. This event started an exchange
between the Old World (Europe) and the New World (the Americas). As the Spanish spread their
empire, the indigenous population (or native people) began to decline. The Europeans introduced
Africans in the New World as slaves. The Africans also became a part of this exchange. Today we know
this as the Columbian Exchange, since it began as a result of Columbus’s discovery.
One important part of the Columbian Exchange was the exchange of food plants. Cocoa, corn,
potatoes, peppers, and tomatoes grew in Central and South America. The Spanish and Portuguese
discovered these foods and took them back to Europe. European crops brought from Europe and
Africa to the New World included coffee, peaches, sugar, and wheat. Farming changed in the New
World. Large plantations with slave labor were started. Sugar cane was one important plantation crop.
The indigenous population was defeated by diseases that were also part of the Columbian
Exchange. The Europeans brought with them many diseases that the native people had not seen
before. Their bodies did not have immunity (natural resistance) to the diseases, and their healers did
not know how to treat the diseases. Some of the diseases brought to the New World were influenza,
measles, smallpox, and typhoid fever. Between 50 and 75 percent of the population of some native
tribes may have lost their lives to these diseases.
Europeans introduced certain animals to the New World. These included pigs, cows, goats, and
bees. The horse was a culture-changing animal. It allowed native people to travel further and faster.
The horse was useful in battle and hunting. Horses helped the indigenous people spread their territory
and trade with other tribes.
____ 231. Which animal helped native people hunt and trade over a larger area?
A.pig
B.goat
C. horse
D.sheep
____ 232. What was the Columbian Exchange?
A.sending food and people from the Old World to the New World
B. sending animals and plants from the Old World to the New World
C. the moving of animals, plants, people, and diseases from Central and South America
to North America
D. the moving of animals, plants, people, and diseases from the Old World to the New
World and from the New World to the Old
____ 233. Which foods came to Europe from Central and South America?
A.peaches, coffee, corn, wheat
B. coffee, peaches, sugar, wheat
C. coffee, sugar, cocoa, peaches
D. corn, peppers, potatoes, tomatoes
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LATIN AMERICA
AND CANADA
THE IMPACT OF THE COLUMBIAN EXCHANGE ON LATIN AMERICA AND EUROPE
Use the statements in the box to answer the next question.
1.Coffee and sugar were introduced.
2.Diseases from Europe killed a large part of the population.
3.The horse changed the life and culture of many indigenous people.
4.Indigenous people began plantations to grow sugar cane and coffee.
LATIN AMERICA
AND CANADA
____ 234. Which items identify results of the Columbian Exchange?
A.1, 2, 4
B. 1, 2, 3
C. 1, 3, 4
D. 2, 3, 4
SS6H2 The student will explain the development of Latin America and the Caribbean from European colonies to independent nations.
a.Describe the influence of African slavery on the development of the Americas.
Copyright © Clairmont Press, Inc. DO NOT DUPLICATE. 1-800-874-8638
THE INFLUENCE OF AFRICAN SLAVERY ON THE DEVELOPMENT
OF THE AMERICAS
Finding cheap labor was a goal of the Europeans in America in the 1500s. Gold and silver found
by conquistadors made Spain and Portugal wealthy. The wealth also made them powerful countries.
At first, these metals could be taken from the native people. As these supplies were used up, the
Europeans decided to try to set up mines to get more. As more Europeans came to the Americas,
some tried to find ways to grow crops that could be sold in Europe. Sugar cane grew well in the
Caribbean and in the tropics of Central and South America. The sugar cane was used to make sugar,
molasses, and rum. Both of these projects required a large and cheap labor force.
The native people were not a good choice for labor. Millions died from diseases brought by the
Europeans. More died because of violence with the Europeans. Natives that were forced to farm or
work in mines faced harsh conditions. Many of them died as well. Many of the indigenous people
simply retreated into the mountains or into the jungles. The Europeans then looked to Africa for labor.
Africans were brought to the Americas by ship. For many, the difficult journey ended in death
by starvation or disease. Once they arrived in the New World, the Africans were forced to work on
plantations or in mines. Long working hours, poor housing, and poor nutrition made life difficult.
Children born to the Africans were considered slaves too. They faced a lifetime of work with no
chance of freedom.
For about three hundred years, businesses that depended on slavery grew. The laborers—slaves—
grew in numbers as the plantations expanded. Most of them lived in the tropical areas near the coast
where large farms could be built.
This labor force helped to build many of the countries of Latin America, but most of the wealth
was sent back to Europe. As different countries gained freedom from Europe in the 1800s, they ended
slavery.
Today, the descendants of the African slaves are a part of the culture of Latin America. Most of the
descendants live in the areas where plantation farming was important. Intermarriage of people from
different continents has produced a diverse culture. People with only African ancestors or people with
both African and European ancestors (mulattoes) live in large numbers in these countries. For instance,
about 60 percent of Cubans and nearly 50 percent of Brazilians are in these groups.
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