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Difficulty: EasyThe Columbian Exchange

Source: Adapted from a description of early colonial Mexico by Spanish writer Francisco de Cervantes Salazar, *Life in the Imperial and Loyal City of Mexico*, 1554.

"The land is so fertile that cattle, horses, and sheep introduced from Spain have multiplied beyond counting. In the vast valleys, these herds wander freely, transforming the grasslands and grazing upon the native flora. However, the animals frequently wander into the cultivated fields of the native Indians, trampling their maize and destroying the crops upon which their sustenance depends."

Based on the passage, which of the following was a direct ecological consequence of the Columbian Exchange in the Americas?

  1. The disruption of indigenous agriculture and ecosystems by Old World domesticated animals.Answer
  2. B
    The growth of the Triangular Trade system to export manufactured goods to the Americas.
  3. C
    The rapid collapse of Native American societies due solely to Spanish military technology.
  4. D
    The adoption of mercantilist policies to regulate the global flow of precious metals.

Answer

The disruption of indigenous agriculture and ecosystems by Old World domesticated animals.
The correct answer is correct because the introduction of European domesticated animals like cattle, sheep, and horses was a major component of the Columbian Exchange. These animals multiplied rapidly in the Americas, transforming grasslands and directly damaging traditional indigenous crops like maize, which disrupted native agriculture.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the provided historical stimulus.
The text describes how Spanish livestock (cattle, horses, sheep) introduced to Mexico multiplied rapidly, altered grasslands, and trampled the maize crops of indigenous people.
Understanding the core focus of the passage is necessary to align it with the correct historical consequence.
2
Connect the livestock introduction to the Columbian Exchange.
The transfer of cattle and horses represents the biological movement of species from the Old World to the New World during the Columbian Exchange.
This links the historical event in the source to the learning objective.
3
Evaluate the options for a direct ecological effect supported by the text.
The option stating that Old World domesticated animals disrupted indigenous agriculture and ecosystems is correct, as it directly mirrors the text's description of crop damage and environmental transformation.
Selecting the answer that is historically accurate and supported by the stimulus.

Key Concept

Environmental and agricultural consequences of the Columbian Exchange in the Americas.
Estimated Time:50s
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Topics

The Columbian Exchange

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