Me (high school world history) 1. write an essay on one unintended consequence of the columbian exchange. to begin, read the examples of actions and consequences below, and note how each consequence was unintended. • some european sailors have smallpox. they come in contact with native americans and pass the disease on to them. the disease devastates whole cultures. • europeans take potatoes back to the new world. some european countries become overly dependent on the potato as a main food source. • affluent europeans buy sugar from the new world. the slave trade burgeons as european colonists buy slaves to work on sugar cane plantations. • conquistadors bring horses with them to the new world. plains indians and other native americans become expert horsemen.

The Columbian Exchange was the exchange of foods, ideas, and more. Christopher Columbus and his crew initiated the Columbian Exchange in 1492. This trade was between the Old World and the New World. Many people were greatly impacted by the new materials that they were introduced to. Although there were intended consequences there were also unintended consequences.

   One unintended consequence were horses. Spanish explorers brought horses when they entered the New World. Some of the horses escaped and were now living among Native Americans. They did not start using horses right away, in fact they feared them at first. Much later they began to use them and see their true potential.  

   Even though horses in the New World were unintentional Native Americans were positively impacted. Horses made transportation of people and items much easier. Horses then began to spread. More and more tribes started to utilize horses and it became the new normal. Altogether horses were a great unintentional consequence.  

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