Question

In 1–2 sentences, use one of the primary sources discussed in this lesson to create an argument about the significance of the Columbian Exchange and the transatlantic slave system to European expansion. Please include details about smallpox in Afro-Eurasia. Please make it simple and to the point.

Answer 1

The Columbian Exchange facilitated European expansion by introducing new agricultural products to Europe, which boosted food security and population growth, while the transatlantic slave system provided the labor necessary for cultivating cash crops in the Americas. Additionally, the spread of smallpox devastated indigenous populations in the Americas, weakening their resistance to European colonization and further enabling European dominance.