Economic and Social Changes in Americas During the Globalization Period

During the period from 1450 to 1750 the Europeans discovered the Americas which concluded to creating a new global economy (globalization). By this, economic and social changes such as the Atlantic Slave Trade, Triangular Trade, Columbian exchange, and many more developments occurred. The economic and social changes in the Americas during the period from 1450 to 1750 caused to process of globalization to begin and expand in a beneficial way to the Europeans, Americas, Asia, and Africa.

Economic changes that occured was the Triangular Trade, cash crops, use of slaves, and the Columbian Exchange. The Triangular Trade consisted of America, Great Britain, and Africa. Agricultural goods were sent over to Britain from the colonies. As of slaves, they were traded from Africa (sent to the colonies) in return for manufactured goods. Slaves were used for farming, and the colonies would grow tobacco and rice. Without it, there would not be any economy in the colonies (way to earn money). Cash crops such as tobacco and sugar were exported to the Middle East and Europe. The Columbian Exchange was a spread of cultures, animals, and technology. Although it transformed the ways of life for the Americas and Europeans (thrived) it also brought in diseases.

Social changes also occurred that consisted of diseases, maroons, diasporas, indentured servitude, and social hierarchy. Disease begun to spread due to the Columbian Exchange. Diseases begun to spread rapidly and the Indians were infected before interacting with the Europeans. Smallpox was one example of the diseases that wiped out the Indian population. Maroons were slaves in which they had run away from their master or leader. They begun to form groups in South America and the Indies. By doing this, it was a way to hide from the British. Because of the forced migration of Africans, their cultures begun to expand throughout the Americas (Diasporas). Their traditions blended and many languages spoken by them were applied and collaborated with the Europeans language to create new dialects. Indentured Servitudes was a type of debt bondage in which a person serves another for a certain amount of time. Those who became a servant did it as a way of paying back the person that did something significant for them. Working off the cost that had accumulated from the trans-Atlantic crossing is one example.

Gender divisions were also an impact, mostly towards women. In East Asia, women begun being educated at home and lived with restrictions on a daily basis. If she does not obey her husband, she would be facing death. In Western Europe, upper class women increased in education and could own businesses. After 1750, they begun having a little more freedom than before.