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Historical consequences – The Columbian Exchange Name Instructor Course Date
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Within the rich global history, the Columbian Exchange stands out as one of the defining
moments of transformation. Initiated by the infamous voyages of Christopher Columbus in 1492,
this era marked an unprecedented transfer of plants, animals, diseases, and ideas between the Old
and New Worlds, forever altering the global landscape. Animals, particularly horses, introduced
in this era revolutionized the way of life of these native American communities. Indeed, the
Kiowa oral tradition recounts the transformative impact of horses, describing them as "gifts from
the spirits" that enhanced their hunting and warfare capabilities. For the Southern Plains Indians,
horses became symbols of prestige and power, transforming their nomadic lifestyle and enabling
them to expand their territories. Another native subset that was transformed by these voyages
was the Choctaw Indians, who initially resisted the adoption of these animals and the Western
culture. However, as time progressed, they embraced horses and integrated them into their
economy and culture. Horses were particularly crucial to the ancient economy, facilitating trade
and transportation, which enabled these native tribes to establish long-distance trade networks
while expanding their agricultural endeavors. Horses emanating from the Colombian exchange
also sparked a significant cultural insurgency in the Great Plains, with riding societies having the
advantage of exerting control over the vast, flat land expanses.
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These societies, characterized by
their horsemanship skill and reliance on horses for hunting, warfare, and transportation, became
the epitome of Plains Indians. However, the Columbian exchange had a detrimental impact that
led to the decline of certain Indian cultures and environmental degradation through overgrazing
by these horses. Additionally, the new diseases these voyagers brought had substantial mortality
rates. The following paper, therefore, seeks to gain a deeper understanding of the complexities
induced by this exchange from the local Indian tribes' perspective. 1
James Taylor, Carson. “Horses and the Economy and Culture of the Choctaw Indians, 1690-
1840.” Ethnohistory
42, no. 3 (1995): 495
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The age of exploration witnessed numerous European explorers sailing across vast
oceans to discover new lands and trade routes. Also known as the Age of Discovery, this era
began in the 15th century and lasted until the 17th century. Driven by different purposes, such as
the desire for wealth, power, and religious expansion, these explorers traveled virtually all points
in the globe, bringing positive and negative takeaways alike. In 1492, Christopher Columbus
sailed across the Atlantic Ocean and landed in the Caribbean, marking the beginning of European
colonization of the Americas.
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This marked the onset of the controversial Columbian exchange,
which is marred with numerous contradictions on whether the exchange alleviated the way of life
of the native American tribes or if it augmented their suffering by presenting different,
unprecedented, and unfathomable challenges. This age of exploration increased trade and
commerce, led to global colonization by European nations, increased the exchange of crops and
animals from a global perspective, and spread new religions, i.e., Christianity. On the other hand,
these explorations led to the spread of illnesses/diseases, cultural erosion, and the extinction of
various cultures and ethnic groups. The Kiowa is a prominent Plain Indian tribe that reveres horses and perceives them as
sacred gifts from their ancient spirits. Their oral tradition recounts the arrival of horses as a
divine blessing, symbolizing the tribe's connection to the land and its power.
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This deep-rooted
reverence for horses permeates Kiowa culture, evident in their elaborate beadwork, ceremonial
attire, and artistic depictions. As Saynday laments, the absence of the "buffalo herds" that once
populated the landscape, their disappearance alongside that of the deer and antelope culminated
in the loss of essential food sources.
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As Hämäläinen explains, following their horse acquisition,
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Pekka, Hämäläinen. “The Rise and Fall of Plains Indian Horse Cultures.” The Journal of American History
90, no. 3 (2003): 835
3
James. Horses and the Economy of the Choctaw Indians, 499
4
James. 502
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the Kiowa and their Comanche allies became specialized hunter-pastoralists, using horses to hunt
bison across the open plains. Horses allowed the Kiowa to range widely to find adequate water,
especially during dry seasons. However, horses were not only rational tools but were also deeply embedded into Kiowa
cultural identity, from affluence, transportation, hunting, herding, and military purview. As Delay
describes, warriors who succeeded in raiding horses and warfare enhanced their prestige and
could effortlessly gain leadership roles; horsemanship and combat skills thus shaped Kiowa
concepts of honor and status for men. As illustrated by the reference in the text to warriors
"counting" their successes against enemies like the rival Pawnees, prowess in mounted warfare
was central to Kiowa masculinity.
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The Columbian exchange also transformed nomadic lifestyles, territorial expansion, and
annexation among the southern plain Indians. Horses, in particular, enabled these tribes to
traverse vast distances and pursue buffalo herds, their primary source of sustenance and
livelihood. This increased mobility allowed tribes to expand their territories and establish trade
networks, fostering cultural exchange and economic opportunities. This importance is covered
succinctly in the selected sources, especially during the scarcity of horses, when these
communities underwent tremendous hardships from a military and subsistence perspective.
Plains Indian tribes did not simply see horses as practical possessions but often formed
affectionate bonds, with some considering these animals as part of their families. The loss of
these perceived members, who originated from the Columbian exchange, either through disease,
inadequate winter pasturage, theft in raids, or deliberate massacre by enemy tribes or the U.S.
5
Pekka, Hämäläinen. “The Rise and Fall of Plains Indian Horse Cultures.” The Journal of American History
90, no. 3 (2003): 840
5
Army, had a devastating life on the nomadic lifestyles that such tribes had adopted.
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Inadequate
horse numbers constrained Kiowa mobility, economic activity like trading, and military power,
thus engendering their security and existence. During this era, plain Indians depended on bison for food, trade goods, clothing, and
shelter. However, the proximity of the Comanches and their allies to Mexico increased their
contact and, subsequently, the acquisition of horses, which significantly augmented their wealth
compared to their neighbors. However, this immense wealth instigated a security predicament,
with the arriving Cheyenne people threatening these southern tribes from the north. When
Charles and William Bent of St Louis Traders developed an intimate relationship with these
warring groups, these newcomers plundered heavily the highly coveted Kiowa and Comanche
horses, leading to heavy casualties on the latter's side. The emergent violence was too gruesome,
with sources documenting that in the summer of 1833, the Osages from the East had executed
thirty Comanche women and children who were taken captives (hostages) in a previous raid.
That year, Osage raiders attacked and beheaded several Kiowas men, women, and children,
dropping their heads into brass buckets for kin to discover later. Ironically, these animals, whose
affluence had lured the enemies into the Great Plains, greatly complicated the efforts to organize
a functional and practical defense.
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Each day, an average Mustang required approximately twelve
gallons of water, grass equivalent to twenty-five pounds of hay, and a pound of salt per week.
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Such consumption tripled twice during the drought, significantly increasing the associated costs
and straining these tribes to the maximum. With widespread illnesses ravaging these plains, the
6
James Taylor, Carson. “Horses and the Economy and Culture of the Choctaw Indians, 1690-
1840.” Ethnohistory
42, no. 3 (1995). 500
7
Pekka. “The Rise and Fall of Plains Indian Horse Cultures.” 842
8
Pekka. 850
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dispersion of these animals and their keepers was regular, with the Indians simply surviving
through the harsh realities and rigors of the winter. While the Columbian exchange ushered in a new era of global interconnection, astute
trade routes, and cultural diffusion with different Western people, it also induced unforeseen
consequences that affected and altered the way of life of these native American communities.
The introduction of horses, initially a catalyst for cultural transformation, ultimately contributed
to the decline of certain Indian cultures and environmental degradation. From a biological
perspective, the Great American Plains are confined to the delicate prairie ecosystem, which is
susceptible to rapid degradation. Overgrazing by large herds of horses led to soil erosion,
vegetation loss, and the disruption of native ecosystems. This environmental degradation,
coupled with the introduction of European cattle, severely impacted the ability of Plains Indians
to sustain their traditional hunting and agricultural practices. As the land became less productive,
the cultural foundations of these horse-dependent societies began to erode.
Additionally, these European explorers brought with them a host of diseases to which
Native Americans had no immunity. Smallpox, measles, influenza, and other infectious diseases
spread rapidly among indigenous populations, causing widespread death and decimating entire
communities. Even though the primary source articulates those old-world diseases such as
measles, scarlet fever, and smallpox had reached the Kiowa people long before the initial contact
with these Europeans, these explorers brought with them newer strains that were advanced and
deadly enough to claim substantial lives, especially during wartime or during drought. The lack
of natural resistance to these diseases, coupled with the disruption of traditional healing
practices, left Native Americans vulnerable and defenseless against these deadly invaders.
Conclusion
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In conclusion, the Columbian exchange is a testament to the dynamic connectivity of the
old and contemporary world. While it brought about new opportunities and cultural exchanges, it
also had devastating consequences for Native American communities, highlighting the complex
and often unintended consequences of human actions.
Bibliography
Carson, James Taylor. “Horses and the Economy and Culture of the Choctaw Indians, 1690-
1840.” Ethnohistory
42, no. 3 (1995): 495-513. https://doi.org/10.2307/483216
.
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DeLay, Brian. “The Wider World of the Handsome Man: Southern Plains Indians Invade Mexico,
1830-1848.” Journal of the Early Republic
27, no. 1 (2007): 83–113. https://doi.org/10.1353/jer.2007.0002
. Hämäläinen, Pekka. “The Rise and Fall of Plains Indian Horse Cultures.” The Journal of American History
90, no. 3 (2003): 833–62. https://doi.org/10.2307/3660878
.