The Columbian Exchange

Students learn about the Columbian Exchange, the many biological and cultural exchanges between the Old and New Worlds. They learn how Native American survival was directly dependent on the environment, then they read about the Columbian Exchange and its impact on life in both the Americas and Europe. Students then work in small groups to research specific resources that were part of the exchange and describe and evaluate the impact of each one.

This learning experience is designed for device-enabled classrooms. The teacher guides the lesson, and students use embedded resources, social media skills, and critical thinking skills to actively participate. To get access to a free version of the complete lesson, sign up for an exploros account.

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Here are the teacher pack items for The Columbian Exchange:

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Overview

In this experience, students learn about the Columbian Exchange, the many biological and cultural exchanges between the Old and New Worlds. They first learn how Native American survival was directly dependent on the environment, in order to establish a “base line” for interaction with the environment in the Americas before the arrival of the European explorers and colonists. Then they read about the Columbian Exchange and its impact on life in both the Americas and Europe, Asia, and Africa. Students then work in small groups to research specific resources that were part of the exchange and describe and evaluate the impact of each one.

Objectives:

  • Explain the long-term impact of the Columbian Exchange.
  • Analyze the economic developments triggered by the Columbian Exchange.


Have you ever traveled away from your hometown and discovered a food or animal that is new to you? Or to a place where the landscape looked very different from where you live? In this experience, you will learn about the Columbian Exchange or the “Great Exchange”: a period of cultural and biological exchanges between the Old and New Worlds. You’ll also see how this exchange affected the physical environment.

Objectives:

  • Explain the long-term impact of the Columbian Exchange.
  • Analyze the economic developments triggered by the Columbian Exchange.
Today, many foods are grown in North and South America. Some are native to the “New World” and have been here for thousands of years. Others were brought from the “Old World” by European explorers and settlers in the 15th and 16th centuries. Do you know which is which?


colorful vegetables, including corn, tomatoes, and potatoes

Vegetables played a part in the Columbian Exchange



Old World: bananas, grapes, rice, sugar cane

New World: corn, tomatoes, peanuts, potatoes


In this lesson, you’ll learn more about the impact that European exploration would have on both side of the Atlantic.


You may want to share this infographic with your students. 


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The Complete List of Learning Experiences in An Era of Revolution Unit.

Latin American Revolutions

The American Revolution

The Gunpowder Empires

The Enlightenment

The French Revolution

The Columbian Exchange

The Transatlantic Slave Trade

Scientific Revolution

Age of Exploration

The Rise of the Modern Nation-State

The Enlightenment and Democracy

Emerging Economic Systems
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