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Difficulty: MediumThe Columbian Exchange

Source: John Lawson, English explorer and naturalist, A New Voyage to Carolina, 1709

"The Peach-Tree... I have seen and eaten of them in the Indian Towns... They are very delicious... The Indians have them in great abundance, and they are so common, that they make no more account of them than we do of our Crab-Trees... It is believed that the Spaniards brought them to Florida, whence they have spread to all the nations of Indians."

Which of the following developments of the Columbian Exchange is best illustrated by the excerpt?

  1. A
    The implementation of the Spanish encomienda system to regulate agricultural labor in British Carolina.
  2. The rapid spread and integration of European-introduced crops into Indigenous agricultural systems.Answer
  3. C
    The commercial export of native North American fruit trees to meet consumer demand in Europe.
  4. D
    The development of a highly centralized, uniform farming network across all Native American groups prior to contact.

Answer

The rapid spread and integration of European-introduced crops into Indigenous agricultural systems.
The correct option is correct because the peach tree was an Old World crop introduced to the Americas (Florida) by the Spanish and subsequently adopted and cultivated by Indigenous peoples in the Southeast, demonstrating the ecological integration and adaptability of Native American agriculture during the Columbian Exchange.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the source to identify the crop and its origin as described by the author.
The author notes that peach trees were brought by the Spaniards to Florida, indicating an Old World to New World transfer of a crop.
To establish the direction and nature of the exchange.
2
Examine how the crop spread and was utilized by the local populations.
The author states that the peach trees spread to all nations of Indians and were grown in great abundance in Indian towns.
To determine the impact of the introduced crop on Indigenous societies and their environment.
3
Correlate these findings with the key concepts of the Columbian Exchange.
The integration of peach trees into Native American agriculture represents the successful adoption of European-introduced crops by Indigenous peoples, altering their landscapes and diets.
To match the historical evidence with the correct AP US History concept.

Key Concept

The transfer and integration of Old World crops into New World Indigenous agricultural systems.
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Topics

The Columbian Exchange

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