‘The pre-modern world changed with the discovery of new sea routes to America’. Support the statement with suitable examples.
The pre-modem world changed a lot with the discovery of new sea
(i) Many of our common foods like potatoes, soya, groundnuts, maize, tomatoes, chillies, sweet potatoes etc were introduced to Europe after the discovery of America. Sometimes, these crops made difference between life and death. The poor began to eat better and live longer in Europe with the introduction of potato.
(ii) Precious metals like silver found in present day Peru and Mexico, also enhanced Europe’s wealth and financed its trade with Asia.
(iii) Slave trade started. European traders captured slaves in Africa and took them to America where they worked on plantations. Europe now emerged as the centre of world trade.
(iv) Religious conflicts were common and religious dissenters were persecuted. Thousands therefore fled Europe for America.
(v) Diseases like smallpox, germs of which were carried by Europeans to America, decimated the whole community who had no immunity to it.