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Columbian Exchange: Potato and Maize

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

ORIGIN

ORIGIN

POTATO

MAIZE

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.

SPREAD

Potato:

Potatoes began to spread around the late 1500s.

Maize:

Maize began to spread around the 15th century.

POTATO

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

Maize spread East into Spain, then northward to other parts of Europe. Then, it spread to China, India, Africa, and Southeast Asia.

PROFIT

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.

POTATO

Europe primarily profited from trading potatoes. The rise of potatoes helped to feed the population, offered nutrition, decreased mortality rates, and prevented famine.

MAIZE

China mainly profited from maize. Maize changed the landscape in China and the people gained more nutritional food for themselves and their animals.

LABOR

LABOR

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.

CULTURE

CULTURE

POTATO

MAIZE

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.

ENVIRONMENT

ENVIRONMENT

POTATO

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

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.

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