Columbian Exchange The Columbian Exchange played a crucial role in developing both the Old and New Worlds. When explorers reached the Americas in 1492, there were many resources back home that were scarce there and vice versa. The Columbian Exchange, also known as The Great Exchange sometimes, describes the widespread exchange of plants, animals, foods, slaves, diseases and idea between the Eastern and Western Hemisphere. Columbus’ voyage kick started an ecological revolution, which allowed for both lands to move forward into the future. As travelers began to venture back and forth from Europe and Africa to the Americas, they brought with them more and more resources for each land. Food, crops and livestock were the bulk of what they brought with them. From Europe, they brought with them crops, particularly wheat and rice, which made food more available. Coffee was also imported, along with lemons and oranges, yams, cotton, sugar, tea, peanuts, beans. From the Americas, Manioc was large import. It gave a high yield because it thrives in tropical soil; it was particularly imported to Africa. Tomatoes and Peanuts were especially imported. Peanuts were an essential agricultural element of the coastal soils of China. It played a role in crop rotation when growing rice. Potatoes from the New World became popular in Ireland.
Along with crops, animals were also brought along but mostly from Europe. Cattle, chickens and pigs were migrated from Europe to the Americas and added a variety to the American diet. One of the most important animals that were brought over were horses. Horses made travel easier, and also made the process of harvesting crops much easier in the future. Horses also helped to herd cattle.
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