US History

U.S. History Study Guide

Although Columbus was not the first European to discover the New World, he is significant because he creates two significant events. First, he establishes an interest in the New World and generates a movement where European nations would set sail, discover, inhabit, trade, and colonize the New World. Second, Columbus opened trade between the NewWorld and Europe, which created what was known as the Columbian Exchange. 2.4 The Columbian Exchange The Columbian Exchange was the transfer of animals, plants, culture, human populations, diseases, technology and ideas between the Americas and Europe, after Europeans made contact with Native American populations.

2.5 The Treaty Tordesillas In 1494, a short time after Columbus's voyage, Portugal and Spain wanted a piece of the New World but deciding who was to get which piece became an issue. The Pope, who wielded considerable power at the time, decided to create a demarcation line which splits the New World between the two countries. This, however, gave Spain a poor piece of the NewWorld. Spain and Portugal met together to create a new split. The Treaty of Tordesillas shifted the demarcation line which gave Portugal claim to Brazil and the rest of the Americas went to Spain. As time moved forward the Treaty of Tordesillas was ignored, by other European nations who would take the land for themselves.

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