Exploring The Columbian Exchange

What was the population range in the Americas before Columbus's arrival in 1492?

• 200 to 300 million

• 50 to 100 million

• 500 to 600 million

• 10 to 20 million

Which Spanish conquistador arrived in the Rio Grande Valley in 1540?

• Francisco Pizarro

• Francisco Vásquez de Coronado

• Hernán Cortés

• Pedro de Alvarado

What was the primary reason for the rapid decline of native populations after European contact?

• Advanced European military tactics

• Introduction of new crops

• Microscopic diseases

• Enslavement by Europeans

Which disease was particularly devastating to native populations, wiping out entire civilizations?

• Yellow fever

• Smallpox

• Malaria

• Influenza

What was the encomienda system?

• A military alliance between European nations

• A trade agreement between Europe and the Americas

• A Spanish policy granting land and native labor to colonists

• A religious conversion program

What were encomenderos expected to do for the native populations?

• Provide military training

• Teach them about Catholicism

• Help them migrate to Europe

• Build new cities for them

Which crops were introduced to Europe as a result of the Columbian Exchange?

• Potatoes, corn, and tomatoes

• Wheat, rice, and coffee

• All of the above

• Oranges, bananas, and apples

How did the introduction of new crops from the Americas affect European and African populations?

• It had no significant impact

• It led to population growth

• It decreased life expectancy

• It caused widespread famine

What was one of the first exports to the New World from Europe?

• Luxury goods

• Religious missionaries

• Scientific knowledge

• Military equipment

What is a significant long-term effect of the Columbian Exchange?

• End of cultural exchanges

• Decline in global population

• Isolation of continents

• Permanent connection through trade