The Columbian Exchange Was The Widespread - Free Essay Example

The Columbian Exchange was the widespread transfer of plants, animals, people, culture, and technology between the Americas, West Africa and the Old World. This happened all after Christopher Columbus made his journey to the Americas in 1492. Referring to the Old World, they made many gains from this exchange in multiple different ways. The finding of new supplies that they used every day in their lives. New metal supplies was supposed to be one of the best known supplies they ever discovered. I have chosen this topic because it was a very important event in history, and I wanted to learn more about this topic. Not only did I know about it already, but there are many other things that I probably dont know about the Columbian Exchange. The Columbian Exchange impacted the way the world works now. The Columbian Exchange impacted the social, and cultural makeup of both sides of the Atlantic. The Columbian Exchange explains why Indian Nations collapsed, and the European countries thrived after Columbus arrival in the New World. After this the New World and the Old World started to connect with each other trading for things that they needed. In order for them to survive they had to do this to build an economy for their people. With that being said there were many good and bad benefits to the Columbian Exchange. As the Europeans furthered their expansion into the New World they had to make sure they were going to get the profitability they needed when doing these exchanges. This was called mercantilism, the theory that rejected free trade, but had the government regulation of the entire economy to get power and colonizing other countries. Mercantilism had a limited amount though coming from what they had to do. In order to gain power they had to mine materials from their own colonies. Mercantilist did not believe in free trade, but they thought that the Nation should should control trade to gain wealth and power over everybody else to help make the Nation stronger and more powerful. In order to do this they had to hire men and women to do all the work. They had to work for a low amount of money and the labor was harsh. In the end though the colonies gained wealth, and power from making other people work for their success. This also meant that they could control who they wanted to trade with and who not to trade with. If one colony had one thing that the other colony wanted they would meet, and discuss the trade amounts. With the production of these materials uprising at such a fast pace many colonies with wealthier people started to make plantations for these materials to be found. The two exchanges between the Americas and Europe are what we know as today the Columbian Exchange. Of all the things they traded with sugar was one of the main sources. According to them sugar was just as important to them as oil is today to us. During this time, colonies rushed to get sugar plantations up to see who controlled the production of sugar. Sugar was the main ingredient to almost all the food that was made, and also many other things the Americas used. The Old World had sugar also, but due to their climate it was more difficult for it to grow there. After the new crop was introduced the crop thrived over the next century making it one of the main productions around the world. With this being said, the more plantations that they made, the more enslaved people they had to hire and work for them. Making this an easy way for money to be brought into their country. Later on the century, sugar was not the only important crop to be produced. Tobacco was introduced, the Native Americans have been growing this crop for centuries before Europe got there hands on it. Native Americans have been using this for medical and ritual practices believing that it would enhance wisdom into their bodies. As we know today, tobacco is used to put your body in a divine state to make yourself feel better. This is also what the Native Americans did also. At first the the Spanish saw this as a negative affect, and a proof of savagery. Later on the Europeans brought this across the Atlantic to introduce it to the New World. Europeans found that tobacco could cure certain things like headaches, and skin irritations. The Europeans did not make this a global import until the 1590s. As far as I read about it tobacco was the first world wide crop, which meant many started to grow it for the worldwide market. Many people wanted to get their hands on it because it was a great way to make money for a low price of maintenance. Especially when they were making the enslaved work in these plantations for a very low price. A price that if it was still in use today you could not survive off it. The Columbian Exchange coming from the Old World to the New World introduced many things also. On Christopher Columbus next voyage he introduced the New World to animals like pigs, cows, chickens, and horses. Horses were a main source to the Native Americans because they could tame them and use them for transportation, and to make hunting a lot easier for them. It also made travel much more faster for them to get from place A to place B. Since the animals were introduced to the New World many things changed on how the New World worked. They had more things to eat, and new ways to get around. With this being said this did bring some negative effects on people. Since traveling from the Old World to the New World brought many new diseases such as chicken pox, measles, smallpox, and mumps. These new diseases destroyed some colonies wiping them completely out. Which meant they had no men to work anymore or anybody to do anything. One disease that went from the New World to the Old World w as a disease named syphilis, an STD or sexual transmitted disease. At the time of this happening there was no cure for it, making even more people dying from it. The Columbian Exchange had its good and bad benefits. The evolution of all these things that happened had a major impact on how we do things today. With the trading with other countries is how we still operate as a country today. We have opened many ports for other countries to trade with us. Materials that we need come from other countries, and we give other countries materials that they need. Also on the second Monday of October we celebrate a day called Columbus Day, this is a legal holiday celebrating the discovery of the New World by Christopher Columbus in 1492. Although, this is a legal holiday in almost every state there are a few that do not celebrate this day. Hawaii, Alaska, Vermont, and South Dakota do not recognize this as a holiday. Instead they replaced it with indigenous peoples day.

Consequences of the Korean War - Free Essay Example

The Cold War was about how North Koreas leader Kim Il Sung desired to have communist while the South Koreans were against it. This horrific atrocity happened to take place in Korea on June 25th 1950. While the war had begun North Korea received plentiful help from Chinas leader Mao Zedong and while the US and the Soviet Unions took interest in helping the South Koreans who were all opposed to communism. During the Korean war 178,000 Americans were killed and 400,000 Chinese troops were also killed while fighting. During the war 373 k South Koreans were found to be killed and 1,550,000 North Koreans were also said to be killed. A large amount of soldiers who were both fighting from each side died after catching frostbites due to the cold, freezing weather. The Cold War began after having the North Korea invade South Korea. Since North Korea was more stronger and had more troops on their side Kim Il Sung decided to invade into South Korea and try to gain control of the Koreans peninsula. The Korean War (1950-1953) began when the North Korean Communist army crossed the 38th Parallel and invaded non-Communist South Korea. On June 25, 1950, the Korean War began when some 75,000 soldiers from the North Korean Peoples Army poured across the 38th parallel. Kim Il Sung wanted to dominate the other half of the Korean peninsula. So in order to do that he first invaded South Korea and used Soviet tanks to be able to steal the supplies from South Korea. Mac Arthur decides to drop bombs across the Yalu river in order to stop the Chinese from sending supplies to North Korea. So when Mac Arthur did go as according to his plan it was successful. The U.S. dropped more bombs in Korea (635,000 tons, as well as 32,557 tons.) Since this happened it made the Korean War last longer which was three years later from then. Within three months of North Korea Within three months of North Koreas June 25, 1950 attack on South Korea, Kim Il-Sungs army had driven the southern forces and their U.N. allies down to a last-ditch defensive line on the southern coast of the peninsula, called the Pusan Perimeter. which is when Kim Il Su ng and his army comes across something called the Pusan perimeter and which is where they meet the South Koreans and also the US eye to eye. MacArthur thought of an idea of sending his army all the way to Inchon which is located in South Korea. On September 15, MacArthur sent his army to land on Inchon in order to gain control of supplies. Afterwards of when Mac Arthur and his army landed at Inchon he then desired to retake Seoul at the very instant chance he got. Then later on, North Korea decide to cross the 38th parallel and onto South Korea. During the Cold war between both the South and North Korea there were also set boundaries about the Korean peninsula and the 38th parallel where the line was created before the Cold War had first began. So afterwards the Pusan perimeter was also supposedly located in Pusan city heading towards South Korea. Inside the Pusan perimeter is where both South and North Korea met and were cornered. Since this incident occurred during the Kore an War, the Soviets leader Mac Arthur took control of over it and instead of heading towards Kim Il Sung and his army, Mac Arthur took the longer way which was around the Pusan perimeter in order to avoid the North Koreans due to themselves of having less people and unfit soldiers for service. Mac Arthur decides to both take Seoul and Pyongyang which was located in North Korea. So after what happened with North Korea Mac Arthur decides to take things into his own hands and while he was trying to do that it went well according to however his plan was. While this atrocity was happening in October 19 Pyongyang was also then being captured by South Koreans and the US and also the Soviet Unions. Afterwards of having to land onto Inchon and retaking Seoul and also stealing Pyongyang from North Korea. Maos government was not willing to have the U.N. forces on his border, however, so when the southern troops reached the Yalu River, China intervened on Kim Il-Sungs side. Despite of that the South Koreans didnt care and headed across the Yalu river in order to face the North Koreans one on one and take away their properties. South Korea and UN troops mass along Yalu River, the North Korea/China border. South Koreans decide to go across the 38th parallel and across the Yalu River and on to North Korea where their enemies lie at. From now on South Korea may have seemed to have more power than North Korea and their plans seemed to be going good as they thought it would be. Since this atrocity already happened South Korea seemed to gain more control over the entire Korean peninsula and seemed to be reaching their goal by eliminating communism. It was a war to liberate the North from the communists. So the Soviet Unions leader Mac Arthur didnt want communism so which was why he also desired to help the South Koreans who were also against it too. After having North Korea invade into South Korea the South koreans were angry with North Korea and which was also the reason of having the US drop bombs into Korea. Due to this matter happening during the Cold War the South koreans had both Pyongyang and Seoul but the North koreans were more better at preparing for the war and had better supplies and weapons. During this war there were weapons that were being used both by the South and North Korea. Such as enfield #2, Ceska Zbrojovka vz. 26, and also M1 (Bazooka), rifle guns and grenades and artillery systems, etc which were used as weapons in order to defeat one another during the Cold War. Artillery systems during the war were used to fire from far away which can aim quite quickly, accurately. While the grenades were being used with bombs to destroy Korea during the time. Also the soldiers from each of the side had weapons that they carried such as rifle guns and the M1 Bazooka and etc. During the war was happening like I said the weather changed from hot to freezing cold and the soldiers were dying from getting frostbites because of the weather being below 0 celcius. Also there were a large amount of Americans and Chinese and Russian and Koreans from both North and South that were being killed and wounded or injured due to the matter of this war. While the South Koreans and the Soviet Unions and the US were trying to cross the Yalu River and on to North Korea and so they couldnt this time. Mao Zedong wouldnt allow them to cross his border which is the Yalu River so he notifies them to go back to their territory which is South Korea. Which is when both Mao Zedong and Kim Il Sung have a chance to recapture Seoul again from the South Koreans and the Soviet Unions which took place during March 14 1951 which happened to be one year later from when the w ar first began. Later on when its 1953 the year of when the Cold War ended, both South and North Korea decided to put a pause to their fighting. After the Korean war and fighting against each other they both came across the 38th parallel which was the line that was made before the war even began. So then both parties decided to put a stop to the war but it also didnt mean that they were going to be allies then and now. Both sides were really determined to stop fighting and wanted to put the fighting to a complete end. During the year of 1951-1953 many soldiers had died and were injured and also lost limbs from each nation in order to protect their territory and leaders. Due to this pointless war happening many people died and there were lots of hate and disagreement. While the war continued but was about to end which was during 1953. After both the South and North Korea were fighting they both came to a stop which was declared at the 38th parallel which is then and still located at the same spot which is the border between South and North Korea which meets the line across the 38th parallel. From 1951-1953 which the Cold war had lasted for 3 years. After the three years of fighting against each other North Korea was able to take Pyongyang and South Korea had the chance to take Seoul and make it into South Koreas own city. Both parties were able to take back what was supposedly theirs. During the end of the battle in 1953 which was three years later. Since this horrific atrocity once happened between the South and North Korea they finally both came to a conclusion where they were determined to put an end to the fighting and the Cold War. So by putting an end to the three painful, devastating, and horrible years of the terrible atrocity which is t hen and still called the Korean War. Both South and North Korea desired to sign an armistice which was at the time of 1953. After the war had started the two parties ended at the same spot which is called the 38th parallel which then and still is the border that crosses both South and North Korea. The war dragged on until July of 1953, when it ended in a stalemate with the peninsula divided once more along the 38th Parallel. So in 1953 the Korean War had finally stopped and Korea was then to be divided into two separate nations. There was a demilitarized zone that was being created in order for both nations to have peace. North Korea faces South Korea across a demilitarized zone(DMZ) 2.5 miles (4 km) wide that was established by the terms of the 1953 armistice that ended fighting in the Korean War (1950â€Å"53). The demilitarized zone crosses the 38th parallel and which is where the border remains at. Both countries would remain independent and the border would remain at the 38th parallel. The armistice was supposedly a treaty which was to end the Cold War. This armistice took place in 1953 where both nations were declared that they had signed it and which supposedly ended the War. After the Cold War had finally ended there was a new border which was made to give peace and space for each nation. This new border that was created gave both the nations their own territory which had concluded to providing peace for one another. Lastly, at the end Korea was supposedly divided into 2 independent nations.