O'Donnell, Edward T. Columbian Exchange. Digital image. History Blog. N.p., 13 Aug. 2013. Web. 19 May 2015.
There was an abundance of new plants discovered in the Americas (including beans, squash, chili peppers, sunflowers, chenopods, peanuts, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, manioc, avocado, pineapple, and cacao), but the two most important were the potato and maize. In addition to discovering New World plants, many plants were brought from the Old World to become hugely successful in the Americas. Among these plant, the most prevalent was sugarcane.
The potato is an amazing example of a New World crop which became essential to European diet. They were important because they could resist cold and grow in thin soil. the weak European soil was perfect for a potato crop and potatoes became food for the lower class. All over Europe, potatoes were a dietary staple. So much so that by the nineteenth century, Ireland was so dependent on the potato as a source of food, crop failure forced thousands of people to migrate as their only choice to avoid starvation.
Gelenza, Jessica. Potatoes. Digital image. Thegardian. N.p., 8 Nov. 2014. Web. 19 May 2015.
The potato is an amazing example of a New World crop which became essential to European diet. They were important because they could resist cold and grow in thin soil. the weak European soil was perfect for a potato crop and potatoes became food for the lower class. All over Europe, potatoes were a dietary staple. So much so that by the nineteenth century, Ireland was so dependent on the potato as a source of food, crop failure forced thousands of people to migrate as their only choice to avoid starvation.
Gelenza, Jessica. Potatoes. Digital image. Thegardian. N.p., 8 Nov. 2014. Web. 19 May 2015.
Maize (American Corn) is possibly the most important of all the New World crops involved in the Columbian Exchange. Maize originated in America, but because of it's adaptable nature, it was able to be transported to Europe and successfully cultivated in various regions. It offered an alternative to wheat, because maize grows quickly and in places wheat can't.Maize's flexibility has led it to influence the world economy in a way many other crops can't. The combination of maize with native crops supported economies and sustained great population growth. It made the New World into a land where people were allowed access to nourishment for themselves and their families, as well as a means of trading.