What Are The Benefits Of The Columbian Exchange

The Columbian Exchange bridged two very different cultures. It would be hard to find any crops that the two civilizations shared before 1492, and it’s incredible when you realize that many of these things that only existed on one side of the Atlantic are now staples in our everyday diet. One example of a crop that shaped each civilization was wheat, which only existed in the Old World. The Native Americans were also introduced to the horse, which changed their world forever. But these gifts came with a huge cost.

It’s important to take into consideration what else came across the Atlantic Ocean with these crops and livestock -- diseases and pests. This greatly contributed to the ease with which the Europeans were able to take over much of Latin America. The native people were mainly dead or dying from such diseases as smallpox, malaria, or measles. There was also an absence of food and because they didn’t have the resources or the knowledge to combat these infections, it has been estimated that at least 58.5 million people died.
This allowed their population to grow, and it did so drastically. There was little to no downside for them. It’s easy to say that they benefited and that the native peoples’ suffering was good for them, and it was, but both sides gained resources and knowledge from this Columbian