Tragedy or Positive?

The Europeans have had a major influence when they came to the Americas. Christopher Columbus was the first person from the Old World to reach America when he discovered it in 1492 on accident while looking for a new route to India. Many more people soon followed from the Old World including people from Spain, England, and other countries to try to find new land, gold and other valuables, or even for religious freedom. Even though they negatively affected the Native Americans, the European encounter with the Americas is an overall positive impact and essential part to the world that people live in today. It had led to different religions, cultural diffusion, and the formation of the United States of America.

The Europeans coming to America led to cultural diffusion. When Spanish Conquistadores came to America, their main intent was gold, glory, and god. They had many conflicts with Native Americans, but the Spanish did sometimes marry the Native Americans. This led to both cultures learning about each other and trading between groups. Also, goods were exchanged between the New World and the Old World. This exchange was known as the Colombian Exchange and was the worldly spread of people, goods, and ideas between the New World and the Old World. Diseases, livestock, grains, peaches, and coffee beans are some things that were brought to the New World from the Old World. Some things that were brought to the Old World from the New World include squash, pumpkins, turkey, peanuts, tomatoes, potatoes, and corn. The Colombian Exchange was definitely a positive impact of the Europeans coming to the Americas along with cultural diffusion. Also, the English had Africans brought over from Africa to be used as slaves. They used Africans as slaves because they were in overall better physical condition to do labor and were not as vulnerable to diseases as the Native Americans. The English and Africans learned from each others cultures. For example, rather than keeping their own...