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from New World
1600s
after 1719
after 1492
after 1590s
after 1550s
to India, Japan, & China in 1600s
1500s
after 1550
mid 1600s
MAIZE
POTATO
1750
1800s
1690
Potatoes were initially cultivated by the Incas in Peru, and have been traced back to around 400 BCE.
It is believed that maize was developed by the people living in central Mexico, approximately 7000 years ago.
Potato:
Potatoes began to spread around the late 1500s.
Maize:
Maize began to spread around the 15th century.
Potatoes began to spread in Spain, then to the rest of Europe. It spread west and northwards to the rest of the world, and even back to North America.
Maize spread East into Spain, then northward to other parts of Europe. Then, it spread to China, India, Africa, and Southeast Asia.
Potato:
Potatoes were not very profitable. They were regarded as unfit for human consumption, used as animal fodder, and considered poor people food.
Maize:
Maize was extremely profitable since it could have large yields and a great versatility of land to be grown on. It was a prominent food source.
Europe primarily profited from trading potatoes. The rise of potatoes helped to feed the population, offered nutrition, decreased mortality rates, and prevented famine.
China mainly profited from maize. Maize changed the landscape in China and the people gained more nutritional food for themselves and their animals.
The introduction of both crops stimulated the increased importation of African slave labor. Since there weren’t enough colonists to work the fields, Europeans realized that they needed manual/coerced labor. Consequently, they turned to the African Slave Trade.
1. China: Villagers began to rely on maize as a food source since it could be grown on once-baren land. Maize changed the landscape of China and provided them with more nutritious food.
2. Mayan Civilization: Maize became a staple food for Mesoamericans. Maize even had religious importance to the ancient Mayans. Mayan legends stated that humans were created from maize, and images of it have been found in archeological artifacts.
1. Ireland: Potatoes were easy to grow in Irish soil, and helped produce more food. Around the time of the Great Irish Famine, about half of Ireland’s diet was exclusively potatoes.
2. France: The French were not welcoming of the potato, and even banned them in 1748. However, after being forced to eat potatoes as a prisoner, a man known as Parmentier proved that potatoes were a great nutritional food source. Today, potatoes are a French staple, and many dishes are named after Parmentier.
Potatoes positively impacted the environment, since it was easy to grow and increased population. Potatoes are also environmentally sustainable, and produce low levels of greenhouse gas emissions.
Maize positively impacted the environment by increasing the global population and biodiversity. However, maize production also negatively impacted the environment through soil erosion and water depletion.