1 janv. 1492 - Columbus sails to the Americas

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Columbus was an arrogant prick who nobody liked. He was a Portuguese man who the Portuguese people didn't even want in their navy. Instead, he went to Spain to seek funding for a voyage. He planned to sail west to try to find a new route to Asia (to avoid having to use the Portuguese controlled sea routes in existence). Once his ships landed in the Bahamas, he established a colony seeking the gold of the Inca. However, there was little gold on the island. His system of forced labor killed most of the indigenous Taino people nearby. He also established the hacienda system, which tied laborers to the land they worked. At the same time, the Encomienda system was established, which allowed colonists to get grants from Spain to extract forced labor from indigenous people. More important, though, was the Columbian exchange. Disease spread to the Americas, killing many many people. However, American crops benefited people in other areas of the world. Sweet potatoes and corn led to a dramatic population increase in China, tobacco became an addiction throughout the old world, and potatoes became a staple crop in Ireland. The Columbian exchange also spread livestock and coffee to the new world.

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