Using the below map, explain what the Columbian Exchange was and provide at least one positive and one negative exchange that took place. (Answer should be 3-5 sentences in length).
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Sentence 1: The Columbian Exchange was the….
Sentence 2: One positive item exchanged was ____________ because…
Sentence 3: One negative item exchanged was ____________ because…
The Columbian Exchange was the global transfer of goods, animals, plants, and diseases between the Old World (Europe, Asia, and Africa) and the New World (the Americas) following Christopher Columbus' arrival in the Americas in 1492. One positive item exchanged was potatoes because they were a highly nutritious and versatile crop that could be easily grown in various climates, leading to increased food production and population growth in Europe. However, one negative item exchanged was diseases, such as smallpox, measles, and influenza, which were brought to the Americas by Europeans, resulting in devastating epidemics that decimated the indigenous populations who had no natural immunity to these diseases.
