"On their way back the two Christians met many people, both men and women, who were returning to their homes. The men always carried a lighted brand in their hands and certain herbs, the smoke of which they inhaled. These herbs were dry and were wrapped in a leaf, also dry... Having lighted one end of it, they sucked the other, and inhaled, or absorbed, the smoke. This calmed their weariness and, as they said, made them feel no fatigue."
— Christopher Columbus, journal entry describing the Taíno people, November 1492
The commodity described in the excerpt represents which of the following dynamics of the Columbian Exchange?
- The transfer of a crop native to the Americas to the Eastern Hemisphere, where it became a highly profitable global commodity.Answer
- BThe introduction of a crop native to Europe that Spanish conquistadors brought to the Americas to cultivate on colonial plantations.
- CThe creation of the encomienda system, which aimed to distribute agricultural goods directly to Spanish peasants.
- DThe existence of a single, uniform agricultural tradition practiced by all Indigenous groups across North and South America.
Answer
The transfer of a crop native to the Americas to the Eastern Hemisphere, where it became a highly profitable global commodity.
The correct answer accurately identifies tobacco as a crop indigenous to the Americas that was introduced to the Eastern Hemisphere (Europe, Asia, and Africa) as part of the Columbian Exchange. Following its introduction, tobacco gained widespread popularity and became a highly profitable global commodity that generated significant wealth for European empires and reshaped trade networks.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
The Columbian Exchange involved the widespread transfer of plants, animals, culture, human populations, technology, diseases, and ideas between the Americas and the Afro-Eurasian hemispheres.