The Columbian Exchange of Horses

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The Colombian exchange was the exchange of products and ideas that led to the transformation of the world. One product of the Colombian Exchange during the period of 1450-1750 was the horse. Horses were introduced to the Americas by the Spanish. Politically, horses aided in the conquest of land by instilling fear upon their opponents. Socially, horses became the most effective form of transportation that allowed society to cover more land at a more fast speed. Economically, horses benefited agriculture by pulling plows to increase the rate of farming. The exchange of horses impacted the Old World in a more negative way than in a positive way in the long run.
The equus horse’s original habitat was in North America about 4 million years ago where they crossed the Bering land bridge to Eurasia 2 or 3 million years ago (Jay F. Kirkpatrick). They were then brought back to their homeland years later by the Europeans. Christopher Columbus was one of the first recorded people from the Old World that brought horses along with him on his voyage. His voyage was originally to India, but he infamously found his way to the New World. However, Christopher Columbus’ voyage was not where the official exchange of the horse took place. Hernán Cortez provided the horses more exposure to the Aztecs in 1519. The Old World’s main form of transportation was the horse. During the 1450’s to 1750’s there was no such thing as a car, train or bus. Great distances could not be traveled due to a lack of transportation in South America. Society was blocked off because the landscape was difficult to travel by foot. Horses were a quick, efficient form of transportation that enabled the Native Americans to cover greater distances as well as terrains that could not...

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...gative impacts out rule the positive. The horse was used as a feared figure against the Native Americans. The Native Americans couldn't withstand the military advantage that horses posed and so the New World was easily conquered and defeated by the Old World. The Colombian Exchange brought a disadvantage to the New World and an advantage to the Old World.

Works Cited
Kirkpatrick, Jay F. "The Surprising History of America's Wild Horses." LiveScience.com. Live Science, 24 July 2008. Web. 17 Nov. 2013. .
"The Story of Horses." PBS. PBS, 2005. Web. 17 Nov. 2013. .
Stuart, Schwartz B. "World of the Incas, Main Page." World of the Incas, Main Page. History World International, 2002. Web. 17 Nov. 2013. .

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