Question

alfred crosby, the columbian exchange, 1972
\when europeans first touched the shores of the americas, old world crops such as wheat, barley, rice, and turnips had not traveled west across the atlantic, and new world crops such as maize, white potatoes, sweet potatoes, and manioc had not traveled east to europe. in the americas, there were no horses, cattle, sheep, or goats, all animals of old world origin. except for the llama, alpaca, dog, a few fowl, and guinea pig, the new world had no equivalents to the domesticated animals associated with the old world, nor did it have the pathogens associated with the old world’s dense populations of humans and such associated creatures as chickens, cattle, black rats, and aedes egypti mosquitoes. among these germs were those that caused smallpox, measles, chickenpox, influenza, malaria, and yellow fever.\
crosby’s description illustrates which major historical development throughout the world?
select one answer
a migration to the american west
b the great migration
c the transition from feudalism to capitalism
d the columbian exchange

Explanation:

The text from Alfred Crosby describes the exchange of crops, animals, and pathogens between the Old World and the New World after Europeans reached the Americas, which is the definition of the Columbian Exchange. Option A (Migration to the American West) is about westward movement within North America, Option B (The Great Migration) is about African - Americans moving within the US, and Option C (transition from feudalism to capitalism) is an economic system change. Only Option D matches the described historical development.

Answer:

D. The Columbian Exchange