Unit 4:
Physical Geography
of Latin America
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LESSON 4: THE COLUMBIAN EXCHANGE
Lissa Harrison
Key Vocabulary
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 Columbian Exchange: the movement of people,
plants, animals, and germs in either direction across
the Atlantic Ocean following the voyages of
Columbus
 Hunter-gatherer: one who hunted animals and
gathered wild plants for food
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As we discuss and
read today, please
copy this chart and
use it to summarize
the Columbian
Exchange.
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©Pixtal/age
fotostock
The Columbian
Exchange
•
Something important
happened when
Columbus made
contact with the
indigenous people of
the western
hemisphere
•
Their exchange of
gifts started a
process we now call
the Columbian
Exchange
•
Passing goods from
one culture to
another
New Products
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 The Spanish took plants, animals, and other
products from the Americas with them back to
Europe
 Europeans began eating and growing the new foods
they found in the Americas

Corn, potatoes, tomatoes, pumpkins, beans, avocados,
chocolate, peanuts, pineapples, and turkey
 Spanish also brought new products to the Americas
 Wheat, onions, sugar, and horses
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Seeds of
Change
•
From Europe to
America
•
•
•
•
Sugar
Horses
Diseases
From America to
Europe
•
•
Potatoes
Corn
•
Horses changed the
lives of huntergatherers
•
Diseases from
Europe killed many
indigenous people
(l-r) Purestock/SuperStock; Brand X Pictures/PunchStock; ©Foodcollection/StockFood; Ingram
Publishing/SuperStock; Peter Scholey/Getty Images; ©Image Source/PunchStock
Eastern Hemisphere Effects
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 Some foods exchanged in this period had an
important effect in the countries where they were
being introduced

Important vitamins that improved the European diet
 Food production increased in many countries in
Africa, Asia, and Europe
 The Columbian Exchange also affected the culture in
many regions

Italian tomato sauce and French chocolate are made from
foods found in the Americas
Questions and Quick Checks
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 Use the following terms to write a paragraph about




Native Americans: Columbian Exchange and
hunter-gatherers.
Write about how the Columbian Exchange has
affected your life.
What was the Columbian exchange?
How did the Columbian Exchange affect countries in
the Western Hemisphere?
Use the chart from the beginning of the lesson to
write about the Columbian Exchange.
End of Presentation
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