Alfred W. Crosby's "The Columbian Exchange: Plants, Animals, and Disease Between the Old and New Worlds"

Read the three pages of the essay. After you read, consider the questions that Crosby poses as the third page. What are some of the lasting consequences of the Columbian Exchange in the Americas and Europe?

This short essay discusses the ecological and biological consequences of European exploration and colonization of the Americas. The author focuses on the differences between American and European plants and animals, and he discusses the impact of infectious diseases on Native American and European populations.