Assignment 1.

2 A Changing World Final Paper

name

Professor Adam McBride

American History to 1865

Strayer University

August 4, 2019
 A Changing World Final Paper

The discovery of America was seen to have both advantages and some disadvantages.

The move to find America brought with it different economic and social benefits to the

communities. However, there were challenges of the slave trade, especially among the Africans

and Indians. This study seeks to discuss the different changes that were associated with the

discovery of America.

Significant Aspects of Old and New World Exchanges

The movement of Europeans across the continents brought the different aspects that

blended what referred to as the old world and the new world. The first aspect referred to as the

Columbian Exchange. It entailed the exchange of the idea of the knowledge on the different

crops like the peanuts, corns, sweet potatoes that the old world did not know of. Similarly, the

coming of Europeans to the region also saw the exchange of ailments like chickenpox, malaria,

yellow fever as a result of the interaction of the different populations at the place. Also, there was

no domestication of a variety of animals with only the pigs, fowl, lama, and the guinea pigs as

the only known animals in the new world.

In addition to the agricultural aspect, there was an exchange in the economics of the

regions. The movement of the Europeans led to the transfer of the different monetary systems

which opened up the various ways in which the businesses could be done (1). There was an

introduction of the machine era, which developed the time of using machines for production. The

production process led to the carrying out of business, which increased profitability. There was

as such the exchange of the economic ideas which increased the transaction between the old and

the new worlds

2
 The third aspect that influenced at the time was the politics of the two worlds. There was

the development of the federal and regional governments. It is through such government

structures that the period of industrialization began to take place. The development of the

industries resulted in the need to develop the laws that would control the movement of cash and

goods between people and borders. The trading activities were as such control as a result of the

exchange between the Americans and the Europeans.

The three aspects were the reason for the successful movement of the Europeans to

America. On the other hand, the Europeans got the challenges in handling the African region due

to diseases like yellow fever and malaria. The coastal areas conducted the majority of all trading

activities. Some of the leading trading goods that got traded in the coastal region included

firearms, slaves, cloth, and tobacco (2). The competition between the African kingdoms

necessitates the need to join the trade so that they can grow powerful and defeat their neighbors.

The game brought about conflict between African neighbors, which led to the loss of many

humans at the time.

Groups Affected by Global Events

The global event of the exchanges significantly impacted on three groups; the Africans,

the Americans, and the women. The industrialization process necessitated the need to take the

Africans and the Americans to form a large part of the labor for the Europeans. The development

of the industries led to the creation of the white-collar managers and the laborers. During the

time, the African American could not participate in the civil war at the time. The Europeans also

determined the wages for African Americans who were working in the business and development

sectors. The two groups were also affected negatively by the fact that their economic, human,

3
and political rights were violated massively (3). It led to the passing of the laws that would create

a gap between whites and African Americans.

Women were significantly affected by industrialization events. There was a blatant

violation of the human rights laws to the women when they got denied the opportunity to

participate at work. The work of the women was mainly domestic, and there was no

compensation for such duties as at the time. For the few that got lucky to undertake job

opportunities, they could take care of the plantations. The women of the time got denied the right

to also participate in civil duties (4). The oppression of women continued until the time that

organizations like the National Women Party and the National American Women Suffrage

Association that the agenda to push for the equity of women took center stage. The two

organizations worked in a bid to have the rights and privileges of the women rightfully taken

care of.

Impact of the Working Americans at Colonial Times

The colonial times was accompanied by the time the industrial age was also taking the

stage. Most of the workers in different parts of America were taking part in the processing of the

plantations even when the pay was low. The challenge at the time was the difficulty the parties

faced in the formation of the labor union that would investigate the welfare of the American

workers. The number of the hours the average American worked were up to twelve hours in a

day. The hard labor also led to the death of some of the working Americans due to inadequate

safety and health standards put in place at the time (5). The wages that the American workers

were getting were low and did not consider the specialization of the workers. More challenges

were equally experienced when the workers who did not understand the English language were

4
enslaved and not given the care they deserved. The colonial times had massive problems for the

Americans that were working as at the time.

The biggest problem was not only the challenges the workers were facing but the lack of

representation like a union that would speak on behalf of the workers. The specialists, however,

could go on strike and deliberate on their issues. The time the specialists go on strike, the

laborers were affected and could not get paid for the time they were absent. There was a standoff

between specialists and laborers that were solved by forming the trade union that allowed for

deliberations between the parties.

In conclusion, the discovery of America brought about social and economic change. That

allowed for the development of global change. That led to the time of the industrial revolution,

which was a significant period, especially for laborers. There were challenges that the American

workers faced, but the formation of the labor unions proved to be a solution to the issues that

affected the workers.

5
 Source List

1. Kaldor, M. (2013). New and old wars: Organised violence in a global era. John Wiley &

Sons.

2. Kettenring, K. M., Whigham, D. F., Hazelton, E. L., Gallagher, S. K., & Weiner, H. M.

(2015). Biotic resistance, disturbance, and mode of colonization impact the invasion of a

widespread, introduced wetland grass. Ecological Applications, 25(2), 466-480.

3. Tomlins, C. L., & Mann, B. H. (Eds.). (2012). The Many Legalities of Early America.

UNC Press Books.

4. Salmon, M. (2016). Women and the law of property in early America. UNC Press Books.

5. Knight, F. C. (2010). Working the Diaspora: The impact of African labor on the Anglo-

American world, 1650-1850. NYU Press.