Ashleigh R. answered • 12/06/24
Certified Social Studies Educator
Hi friend! This is a great question to think about. Let's break it down.
To begin, we must make sure we understand what the Colombian Exchange was and its function in connecting different parts of the world. Named after Columbus and his successful voyages to the "New World," the exchange quickly became a global network of trade. This system connects four continents together in one economic system: North America, South America, Europe, and Africa. The colonies in North and South America can provide raw materials but still need to purchase manufactured goods from Europe. This essentially became the foundation for economic prosperity for both the American colonies and European countries.
But this question asks us to assess the impact that this system had on the Africans involved in this exchange. In order for North American and South American colonies to increase their production, they required labor to harvest crops and mine materials. To keep costs down and profits high, colonies relied on enslaved labor. Africans were either manipulated or kidnapped by slave traders along the coasts of Africa to send off to these "New World" colonies like South America, the Caribbean, and the southern region of the present-day United States. This will eventually become known as the Transatlantic Slave Trade and will continue for centuries.
