Adam W. answered • 03/26/19
PhD in World History, AP Grader, 15 Years Teaching Experience
Well, for anyone living in the Old World (Africa, Asia and Europe) as well as the Pacific (Polynesia and Australia) they didn't have corn or potatoes until after the "discovery" of the Americas in the 15th century. It also took a long while for corn and potatoes to be accepted by some peoples, even after they had access to them. For instance, many Europeans initially saw corn and potatoes as being unfit for human consumption. But after a few hundred years of experimenting, both crops became accepted, and standard, leading to some pretty significant population growth.
In contrast, the peoples of the Andes had the potato for thousands of years just as the peoples of Central and North America had corn for even longer. Both crops were central to their diets. For these peoples, the potato and corn were integral as soon as they were domesticated. For the rest of the world, though, the potato and corn weren't.
So my answer to your question is: there have definitely been people who lived without potatoes and corn but today, for me, and for most of the world, potatoes and corn are necessary components of our food systems, and major players in the world economy. I can't imagine my life without them.
