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1492
Vanilla
Vanilla was discovered and later brought back to the Old World from southern Mexico, Central America and northern South America by the Spanish. The plant was used to flavour chocolate and the word itself is used to describe something plain or basic. -
Period: 1492 to
The Columbian Exchange
The Columbian Exchange occurred between 1492 and 1850, where resources and culture were traded between the Old World (Afro-Eurasia) and the New World (the Americas). -
1493
Sugar Cane
Sugar cane was brought over from the New World by Columbus and was first grown in the modern-day Dominican Republic. Sugar cane was able to thrive better in this environment and provided a cheaper source of calories for Europeans. -
1493
Cacao
Cacao plants were brought back from the New World into Afro-Eurasia; these were used to make chocolate which was a luxury for royalty and nobility. Chocolate was also known for having a high output of energy, which made it an important food for expeditions as it could be stored easily without taking up too much room. -
1532
Potato
The first Spaniards discovered the potato growing in the Andes, later exporting them back to Europe. The potato became a staple food as it was easy to prepare and provided enough energy and water to suffice as one's only food. In fact, Ireland became so dependent on the potato that it was heavily affected by a famine that prevented the growth of potatoes. -
1542
Capsicum Peppers
Capsicum peppers came from modern-day Bolivia and southern Brazil to Spain, Africa, the East Indies and India by 1542. These, along with the spice paprika (made from crushed dried peppers) are now used in multiple different cuisines around Africa and South-East Asia. -
1564
Tomatoes
The Spaniards brought tomatoes from South America to Asia. They later spread across the rest of the world, where they became a staple food due to it containing Vitamins A and C, which allowed those civilisations to have more nutrition and not have to focus as much on farming. -
Tobacco
An early English settler of North America, John Rolfe managed to export tobacco from the Colony of Virginia back to the Old World. This was significant as it boosted the colony's economy, allowing it to gain more resources. -
Rice
Rice was brought from Africa into the Americas, where it was grown in South Carolina. Despite being easy to prepare and providing lots of nutrition, rice farms were plagued with the abundance of mosquitos., which spread malaria. This culminated with more slaves being brought in from West Africa as they were immune to the disease.