What was a major consequence of European colonization of South America in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries?
A
Explorers returned to Europe with deadly diseases.
B
New World plants destroyed European ecosystems.
C
The transatlantic slave trade rapidly grew in volume.
D
Many world empires went bankrupt and collapsed.
The major consequence of European colonization of South America in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries was:
C) The transatlantic slave trade rapidly grew in volume.
To arrive at this answer, we need to analyze the options and understand their historical context:
A) Explorers returned to Europe with deadly diseases:
While it is true that diseases were brought back to Europe from the New World, resulting in devastating consequences for indigenous populations, this consequence was not specific to South America alone. It affected various regions that were colonized by Europeans.
B) New World plants destroyed European ecosystems:
This option is not a major consequence specific to South America in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. The introduction of New World plants did lead to changes in European ecosystems, but this consequence played out over a longer period of time and affected multiple regions.
D) Many world empires went bankrupt and collapsed:
This option is too broad to be considered a major consequence of European colonization of South America. While the economic impact of colonization certainly had long-lasting effects, it affected not just empires but also states, societies, and individuals.
C) The transatlantic slave trade rapidly grew in volume:
The transatlantic slave trade refers to the forced transportation of African slaves to the Americas. During the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, Europeans established extensive slave-based economies in South America, particularly in regions like Brazil and the Caribbean. Slavery became a crucial factor in the development of these colonies, with African slaves being used to work on plantations and engage in various forms of labor.
The rapid growth of the transatlantic slave trade during this period had profound socio-economic, cultural, and demographic consequences, making it the major consequence of European colonization of South America in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.
Therefore, the correct answer is C) The transatlantic slave trade rapidly grew in volume.