History Fact Finder | Exploration and Settlement - What Contributions Did The Europeans Make To The Americas?

What contributions did the Europeans make to the Americas?

Upon their arrival to the New World (the European term for North and South America), the Europeans introduced new items to native peoples. These included horses and cattle, which Christopher Columbus (1451–1506) brought on his first voyage in 1492. Later Europeans brought other livestock—including sheep, pigs, goats, and chickens—and such plants as sugarcane, rice, indigo, wheat, and citrus fruits. Except for indigo, which is used to make blue dye for fabric, these plants provided food crops that are still important today.

Further Information: Lacey, Richard W. Hard to Swallow: A Brief History of Food. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1994; Olson, James S., ed. Historical Dictionary of the Spanish Empire: 1402–1975. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood, 1991.

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