What was the initial reason for Columbus’s journey to the New World?
to seek religious freedom as a result of the split of the Protestant Reformation
to find a sea route to Asia that would give Spain direct access to valuable products of Asia
to build a colony in North America to take advantage of fur trading
to establish a slave trade route from the Americas to Africa to Europe
The initial reason for Columbus's journey to the New World was to find a sea route to Asia that would give Spain direct access to valuable products of Asia.
For their part, Native Americans introduced Europeans, Africans, and Asian to new foods, customs, and ideas. After 1492, elements of Native American ways of life gradually spread around the world. Sadly, disease also spread from the Americas to Europe and other parts of the world.
Native Americans introduced Europeans to valuable food crops such as corn, potatoes, sweet potatoes, beans, tomatoes, manioc, squash, peanuts, pineapples, and blueberries. Today, almost half the world’s food crops come from plants that were first grown in the Americas.
Europeans carried the new foods with them as they sailed around the world. Everywhere, people’s diets changed and populations increased. In South Asia, people used American hot peppers and chilis to spice stews. Chinese peasants began growing corn and sweet potatoes. Italians made sauces from tomatoes. People in West Africa grew manioc and corn.
Question
Use the excerpt to answer the question
Based on this excerpt from the text, what impact did the Native Americans ultimately have on the rest of the world?
(1 point)
Responses
Their food was in high demand and brought great wealth to the Americas.
Their food was in high demand and brought great wealth to the Americas.
Their exposure to European disease eventually caused a serious decline in the global population.
Their exposure to European disease eventually caused a serious decline in the global population.
Their crops allowed Europeans to take longer voyages in order to explore more distant lands.
Their crops allowed Europeans to take longer voyages in order to explore more distant lands.
Their crops influenced people's diets in many different regions around the world.