Ecological RevolutionEcological Revolution

of the 16of the 16thth and 17 and 17thth Centuries Centuries

The Columbian ExchangeThe Columbian Exchange

The transfer of plants, animals, and The transfer of plants, animals, and microbes among the Americas, Europe, microbes among the Americas, Europe, Asia, and AfricaAsia, and Africa

Ended divergent evolution that began Ended divergent evolution that began with the breakup of the Pangaea super with the breakup of the Pangaea super continentcontinent

Brought new foods, lifestyles, and Brought new foods, lifestyles, and diseases to both sides of the Atlanticdiseases to both sides of the Atlantic

Maize (Corn)Maize (Corn)

Brought to China and Europe from Brought to China and Europe from AmericasAmericas

Initially used as an animal foodInitially used as an animal food Took less labor per production unit to growTook less labor per production unit to grow Could grow in in places wheat, rice, and Could grow in in places wheat, rice, and

millet could notmillet could not

Eventually adopted into human dietEventually adopted into human diet

Sweet PotatoesSweet Potatoes

Brought primarily to China from AmericasBrought primarily to China from Americas First used as animal foodFirst used as animal food

Could grow in marginal environmentsCould grow in marginal environments Adopted by immigrants and the poorAdopted by immigrants and the poor

Did not spread beyond China to any Did not spread beyond China to any great extentgreat extent

PotatoesPotatoes Brought from the high Andes to Europe Brought from the high Andes to Europe

and Asia by the Portugueseand Asia by the Portuguese Never catches on in East Asia, but becomes Never catches on in East Asia, but becomes

important in Indiaimportant in India Replaces rye as the staple crop of Northern Replaces rye as the staple crop of Northern

EuropeEurope Spread west to east during Europe’s warsSpread west to east during Europe’s wars

Only major human staple that, in Only major human staple that, in sufficient quantities, provides ALL sufficient quantities, provides ALL essential nutrientsessential nutrients

WheatWheat

Brought from Europe to AmericasBrought from Europe to Americas Only small portions of the Americas Only small portions of the Americas

suitable for wheat productionsuitable for wheat production Attempts to farm the New World as Attempts to farm the New World as

though it were the Old led to failures and though it were the Old led to failures and massive environmental re-engineeringmassive environmental re-engineering

Weeds and GrassesWeeds and Grasses

Brought from Europe to transform open Brought from Europe to transform open areas for livestockareas for livestock

Purslane, Englishman’s Foot, Dandelions Purslane, Englishman’s Foot, Dandelions and others forced native grasses out of and others forced native grasses out of eco-nicheseco-niches

Englishman’s Foot and Englishman’s Foot and Purslane Purslane

LivestockLivestock

Horses and cattle brought from Europe to Horses and cattle brought from Europe to Americas by SpanishAmericas by Spanish Had invented “ranching” after the Had invented “ranching” after the

Reconquista opened up vast plains in S. Reconquista opened up vast plains in S. Spain in 1492Spain in 1492

Thrived on S. American pampa and N. Thrived on S. American pampa and N. American prairie but still not as adapted as American prairie but still not as adapted as native bison to conditions of N. Americanative bison to conditions of N. America

Spanish PlainsSpanish Plains

Cane SugarCane Sugar First transplanted product to have a major First transplanted product to have a major

impact on world marketsimpact on world markets Originally SE AsianOriginally SE Asian American supply meant more people could try itAmerican supply meant more people could try it

Quickly became most valuable product in Quickly became most valuable product in oceanic tradeoceanic trade

Spawned first New World industriesSpawned first New World industries Refineries and rum distilleriesRefineries and rum distilleries

Led to competition among European powers Led to competition among European powers over sugar cultivationover sugar cultivation

Also led to massive importation of labor to work Also led to massive importation of labor to work sugar plantationssugar plantations

The Beverage Revolution!The Beverage Revolution!

Availability of sugar increased the popularity Availability of sugar increased the popularity of coffee, tea, and chocolate exponentiallyof coffee, tea, and chocolate exponentially

Coffee surpassed spice as the major trading Coffee surpassed spice as the major trading commodity in the Arabian seacommodity in the Arabian sea Originated in Middle East, but soon planted all Originated in Middle East, but soon planted all

over the European imperial worldover the European imperial world Chocolate brought from MesoAmerica and Chocolate brought from MesoAmerica and

planted all over world tooplanted all over world too Tea transplanted from China to British Tea transplanted from China to British

controlled India and Sri Lankacontrolled India and Sri Lanka

Coffee Plants

Tea Plants

Cocoa Plant

Exchange in the AmericasExchange in the Americas

Turkeys from Mexico to N. AmericaTurkeys from Mexico to N. America Alas, not until after the first ThanksgivingAlas, not until after the first Thanksgiving

West Indian Tobacco to VirginiaWest Indian Tobacco to Virginia Transplanted by John RolfeTransplanted by John Rolfe

Pocahontas’ HusbandPocahontas’ Husband

Made Virginia viable as a colonyMade Virginia viable as a colony Without Spanish tobacco, it would still be a Without Spanish tobacco, it would still be a

swampswamp

Tobacco Plant

Effects of Exchange Effects of Exchange

Significantly higher nutrition world-wideSignificantly higher nutrition world-wide Led to greater fertility rates and longer life-Led to greater fertility rates and longer life-

spansspans Began a population explosion that has Began a population explosion that has

continued virtually unabated until todaycontinued virtually unabated until today

Microbial ExchangeMicrobial Exchange

Before that population explosion could Before that population explosion could begin, the world had to recover from a begin, the world had to recover from a new series of plaguenew series of plague

Population of the New World was Population of the New World was devastated by disease, particularly devastated by disease, particularly smallpoxsmallpox New World peoples had zero immunity New World peoples had zero immunity

because they had not survived the plaguesbecause they had not survived the plagues

Smallpox Victim

Demographic CollapseDemographic Collapse

Estimate 90% death rate in 100 yearsEstimate 90% death rate in 100 years Smallpox, influenza, and measles were Smallpox, influenza, and measles were

major culpritsmajor culprits Despite outside efforts, particularly of the Despite outside efforts, particularly of the

Spanish, Europeans could do nothing to Spanish, Europeans could do nothing to stop the spread of the diseasesstop the spread of the diseases

New Disease in EurasiaNew Disease in Eurasia Isolated parts of Eurasia brought into Isolated parts of Eurasia brought into

contact during this period and ravaged by contact during this period and ravaged by diseasesdiseases SiberiansSiberians AustraliaAustralia

Microbial evolution, perhaps triggered by Microbial evolution, perhaps triggered by contact w/ New World organismscontact w/ New World organisms TuberculosisTuberculosis New venereal diseasesNew venereal diseases PlaguesPlagues

Labor TransplantsLabor Transplants

Shortage of labor caused by plagues led Shortage of labor caused by plagues led to need to transport labor from unaffected to need to transport labor from unaffected areas to affected onesareas to affected ones

Largest source of unaffected labor in Largest source of unaffected labor in AfricaAfrica Beginnings of the slave tradeBeginnings of the slave trade Only way for tropical America to be Only way for tropical America to be

profitable was with slave importationprofitable was with slave importation

The End of Steppeland The End of Steppeland ImperialismImperialism

Mongols unable to reunify their powerMongols unable to reunify their power Uzbeks defeated by the Safavid IranUzbeks defeated by the Safavid Iran 1640s Manchu conquered China and est. 1640s Manchu conquered China and est.

Qing Dynasty, which then broke power of Qing Dynasty, which then broke power of rest of eastern Steppes rest of eastern Steppes

Causes of decline in steppelanders: Causes of decline in steppelanders: Military revolution, movement of main Military revolution, movement of main trade routes away from land routestrade routes away from land routes

Pastoralism gives way to Pastoralism gives way to AgricultureAgriculture

Russians shift view from dominating Russians shift view from dominating resources to colonizing landresources to colonizing land

Encroaching farmers pushing out native Encroaching farmers pushing out native pastoralistspastoralists English into Ireland and Scottish highlandsEnglish into Ireland and Scottish highlands Japanese finish conquest of Ainu in Japanese finish conquest of Ainu in

HokkaidoHokkaido Qing into Central AsiaQing into Central Asia

China’s ImperialismChina’s Imperialism

Manchu rulers of Qing China started Manchu rulers of Qing China started aggressive agrarian expansionaggressive agrarian expansion Eliminated up to ¾ of existing populaceEliminated up to ¾ of existing populace Civil wars between Ming holdouts and Civil wars between Ming holdouts and

Manchu forces sent refugees into new landsManchu forces sent refugees into new lands Conquered Taiwan in 1660Conquered Taiwan in 1660 Pushed into Mongolia and ManchuriaPushed into Mongolia and Manchuria

Spanish EmpireSpanish Empire

Labor animals and plows allowed farming Labor animals and plows allowed farming in regions never before developedin regions never before developed

Built a largely urban empireBuilt a largely urban empire

Spanish architecture replaced native Spanish architecture replaced native buildingbuilding

Brazil Brazil

Portuguese initially simply interested in Portuguese initially simply interested in ports for tradeports for trade

Discovery of gold and diamonds in the Discovery of gold and diamonds in the interior prompted Portuguese to move interior prompted Portuguese to move into the inland of Brazilinto the inland of Brazil

Conflict with Spanish over Amazon basinConflict with Spanish over Amazon basin 1630-16801630-1680

British N. AmericaBritish N. America Only iron pyrite “fool’s gold” in areas left to the Only iron pyrite “fool’s gold” in areas left to the

French and British French and British Fur, timber, and fish were major resources, but could Fur, timber, and fish were major resources, but could

not support large populationnot support large population Tobacco became the most important cash cropTobacco became the most important cash crop Subsistence farming possible but never a route to Subsistence farming possible but never a route to

prosperityprosperity New England becomes a maritime civilization New England becomes a maritime civilization

providing shippingproviding shipping Slave tradeSlave trade Rum exportRum export East India Trade in silk and porcelainEast India Trade in silk and porcelain

Southern America builds wealth through massive for-Southern America builds wealth through massive for-profit farmingprofit farming Leads to significant cultural and socio-economic Leads to significant cultural and socio-economic

differences between the two regionsdifferences between the two regions

New Energy SourcesNew Energy Sources Monarchs undertook massive surveys of Monarchs undertook massive surveys of

land to look for areas to increase land to look for areas to increase productionproduction

Exploration led to discovery of new Exploration led to discovery of new energy sourcesenergy sources Timber from cleared areasTimber from cleared areas Oil from aggressive whaling Oil from aggressive whaling Cottonseed and linseed oilCottonseed and linseed oil Peat from bogs in Ireland and HollandPeat from bogs in Ireland and Holland CoalCoal

Land Reclamation Land Reclamation Holland lost massive amounts of land to Holland lost massive amounts of land to

sea encroachmentsea encroachment Reclamation became matter of survival for Reclamation became matter of survival for

the nationthe nation Developed windmill driven pumps to keep Developed windmill driven pumps to keep

seawater outseawater out

England began draining fenlandsEngland began draining fenlands Japan began working to drain river deltasJapan began working to drain river deltas