| Encounter and Columbian Exchange Writing Exercises |
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| Student Handouts > World History > Columbian Exchange > Columbian Exchange Worksheets |
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Answer each of the following questions using complete sentences. 1. Why are there different interpretations of the Encounter between Africans, Europeans, and Native Americans? There are different interpretations of the Encounter between Africans, Europeans, and Native Americans because each group experienced and recorded the events from distinct perspectives. Europeans often viewed the Encounter as exploration and conquest, while Native Americans and Africans experienced it as invasion, displacement, or enslavement. Historians also reinterpret these events over time, influenced by new evidence, cultural values, and a growing emphasis on diverse voices and narratives. 2. How did standards of living in Africa, the Americas, and Europe change as a result of the Columbian Exchange? The Columbian Exchange significantly altered standards of living across Africa, the Americas, and Europe. In Europe, new crops like potatoes and maize improved diets and boosted population growth. In the Americas, the introduction of livestock and European tools changed farming practices, but diseases devastated Indigenous populations. In Africa, while some regions benefited from new crops, the transatlantic slave trade disrupted societies and contributed to long-term social and economic harm. 3. What trading networks existed in the Indian Ocean prior to Portuguese arrival, and how did the Portuguese presence alter these networks? Before the Portuguese arrived, the Indian Ocean was home to thriving trade networks connecting East Africa, the Middle East, South Asia, and Southeast Asia. Goods like spices, textiles, gold, and ivory were traded by Arab, Indian, Chinese, and African merchants. The Portuguese disrupted these networks by establishing fortified ports and attempting to control trade routes through force. They introduced a naval presence that shifted the balance of power and commerce toward European dominance. Click here to print this worksheet (PDF file). Answers will vary. |
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| Student Handouts > World History > Columbian Exchange > Columbian Exchange Worksheets |
