In 1492, Christopher Columbus landed in the new world; the Native Americans lives were altered through the introduction of the Columbian Exchange, Cultural changes and loss of their homeland. Columbus's discovery of the new world sparked colonization of the Americas. There was an ample amount of vast, arable land thus creating economic opportunity for the wealthy and the common-man. The people longing for this opportunity intruded on the Native American's land and completely changed their way of life.When Christopher Columbus discovered the new world, it caused the two different worlds (The Americas and Europe, Asia, Africa) to collide hence creating the Colombian Exchange. The Columbian Exchange is the world wide exchange of people, plants, animals, diseases and ideas.
An example of a domesticated animal brought to the Americas, are Horses. When horses were transported from Europe to the Americas. When introduced to the Indians, Horses became a major part of the culture of the Plains Indians. Horses improved hunting and allowed them to shift the a Nomadic lifestyle.A crop that had effect was Tobacco. The Indians were introduced to smoking the crop and it became part of their lifestyle.
In addition, Disease is a large cause of the devastation of the Native Americans. The Indians fell victim to illnesses such as Yellow Fever, Smallpox, and Malaria; 90% of the Natives died. As a result, the Indians did not create a good labor source to work on plantations. For this reason the importation of African slaves began. With the importation of slaves, labor was easier to obtain.Therefore farmers wanted to acquire more land for their plantations, causing conflict and violence with the Native Americans.
Cultural changes were another effect of Columbus's arrival in the Native Americans. Prior to his arrival, the Native Americans were isolated; separated from the rest of the world by the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The Native American cultures in the Western Hemisphere found their societies almost destroyed with the arrival of the Europeans, some of which was deliberate, and some of which was a result of the diseases that the American Indians were not immune to.The introduction of weapons, alcohol, and other European things and ideas also great and unpredictable effects. The Europeans encountered many sophisticated Indian cultures and some owe their survival to the Natives.
The Europeans introduced the idea of “ownership of the land” to the Indians. Of course, tribes fought over territory to hunt, fish and occasionally practice agricultural on, but the idea of “ownership” of land was something they didn't comprehend. For some Indians the land was considered sacred, the idea of agriculture was thought of as insulting to the Earth, and many aspects of nature.For the Indians, things in nature like rivers, ponds, and even rocks, were like the saints in Christian cultures. Even after they had made deals with the Europeans for the purchase of land, they didn't understand what they had done and that led to further conflict.
Europeans also changed their barter system. They had built complex economic relationships with other tribes and understood commerce as it existed in their barter and exchange system. Europeans had a destructive impact of this trading culture, trading different things than the Indians were used to and also through the use of currency.Christopher Columbus created awareness of new opportunity and freedoms when he brought the Americas into world view. This opportunity attracted colonists eager for a fresh start. Though, this was an amazing opportunity for the European countries to expand and gain wealth, this was devastating for the Indians.
When the colonists arrived in America they settled on the best land closest to where they arrived, without thinking of who it may belong to or the effects of them settling there. Because of this, the Native Americans suffered a great land loss.As the settlers moved in, the Indians moved out. The Natives attempted to rebel and fight for the land that was being taken from them without consent, but resistance was futile. The colonists had superior weapons and the Native Americans were no match.
An effect of this land loss was that the Indians had to put up with the settlers, be involved in violence or move West to avoid the growing colonies. The tribes along the Eastern Seaboard were the Natives most effected by the colonists at this time.Christopher Columbus had a greater impact than he could have imagined on the Native People of the Americas. Through the Columbian Exchange, the European and Indian culture differences and quarrels over land and its ownership. The most significant being the Columbian exchange through its many factors; diseases, animals, plants, people and ideas.
The Columbian exchange caused loss of life, through the devastating diseases and deadly conflicts, and improvements in life through technology, plants and Horses.
