Environmental Effects of Trade

#🌍 Environmental Consequences of Connectivity

Connectivity, the ability to communicate and exchange ideas, goods, and culture, has profound environmental consequences. These can be both positive and negative, impacting climate, resources, and biodiversity. Let's dive in!

#🔗 Positive Impacts

• Knowledge & Technology Exchange: Sharing eco-friendly practices and renewable energy tech can reduce our negative footprint. 💡

#📉 Negative Impacts

• Overconsumption: Globalization fuels increased production and transportation, leading to more greenhouse gas emissions. 🏭
• Resource Depletion: Increased demand strains natural resources.
• Pollution: Higher production often means more pollution.

It's crucial to understand how trade networks affected various societies environmentally. Along with goods and beliefs, diseases and crops spread, changing the world forever.

#💀 The Bubonic Plague (Black Death)

#🦠 What is it?

The bubonic plague, caused by Yersinia pestis bacteria, spreads through infected flea bites from rodents like rats. Symptoms include fever, chills, weakness, and swollen lymph nodes (buboes). Untreated, it can become pneumonic plague, affecting lungs and spreading person-to-person.

#🌍 Historical Impact

The Black Death, a 14th-century outbreak, killed 75-200 million people, up to 60% of Europe's population. It started in China around the 1300s and spread to Europe via trade routes. The Mongols even used infected people as biological weapons, catapulting them into cities. 💣

#Image Courtesy of tumblr

#🍌 Crops: Bananas, Champa Rice, & Citrus

Crops have been vital in trade history, serving as food, medicine, and goods. Many crops like wheat, rice, and corn are traded globally. Others like coffee, cocoa, and tobacco are grown in specific regions and traded worldwide.

#🌍 Impact of Crop Trade

Crop trade has shaped global economies, cultures, politics, and societies. Spices drove trade routes and empires in the ancient world. Trade also spread agriculture and new farming technologies. Three key crops to remember for the AP exam are bananas, champa rice, and citrus.

#🍌 Bananas

• Origin: Pacific region and Southeast Asia. Arab traders spread them through the Indian Ocean trade network, especially to Africa.
• Significance: Became a lucrative crop in Africa. 🌴

#🍚 Champa Rice

• Origin: Southeast Asia, spread to China via Vietnam (tribute system).
• Significance: Drought-resistant and early-ripening, leading to increased crop yields and becoming a Chinese staple. 🌾

#🍋 Citrus

• Origin: Southeast Asia, spread through Indian Ocean and Silk Road trade networks to the Mediterranean.
• Significance: Important source of vitamin C, used in various dishes and beverages. 🍊

#📉 Negative Environmental Impacts

1. Overgrazing: Grazing at intensities beyond the land's capacity. 🐄
2. Deforestation: Loss of forests due to overuse of farmland. 🌳
3. Soil Erosion: Wearing away of soil due to overuse of farmland. ⛰️

#🤔 Key Questions

• Where did Champa rice originate? Southeast Asia (Vietnam).
• Impact of Champa rice on population? Increased food supply, supporting population growth.
• Impact of bananas on migration? Facilitated Bantu migration to areas where yams didn't grow easily.
• Impact of planting bananas? Provided food and economic opportunities but also led to environmental changes.
• Which crops were spread by Muslim merchants? Citrus fruits, sugar, spices, rice, and cotton.
• How was the environment degraded? Resource depletion, deforestation, soil erosion, overgrazing.
• Which group was greatly impacted by the environment in Mesoamerica? The Mayan Empire, due to drought.
• How did the Black Death impact the European population? Killed about 1/3 of the population in a few years. 💀

Understanding the spread of crops and diseases through trade routes is crucial. It often appears in both MCQs and FRQs.

#🎯 Final Exam Focus

#📝 High-Priority Topics

• Environmental Impacts of Trade: Focus on the positive and negative consequences of connectivity.
• Disease Transmission: Understand how trade routes facilitated the spread of diseases like the Black Death.
• Crop Diffusion: Know the origins and impacts of bananas, champa rice, and citrus.
• Environmental Degradation: Be aware of overgrazing, deforestation, and soil erosion.

#⏱️ Time Management Tips

• MCQs: Don't overthink! If you're stuck, eliminate wrong answers and move on.
• SAQs: Be direct and concise. Focus on answering the question with specific evidence.
• FRQs: Plan your essay before writing. Make sure to directly address the prompt and use specific historical evidence.

#⚠️ Common Pitfalls

• Vague Answers: Always provide specific historical examples.
• Ignoring the Prompt: Make sure you are directly answering the question being asked.
• Lack of Evidence: Support your claims with historical facts.

#❓ Practice Questions

Practice Question

Multiple Choice Questions:

1. Which of the following was a major consequence of the Black Death? (A) Increased agricultural production (B) Decline in the European population (C) Expansion of trade networks (D) Rise of feudalism

2. Champa rice, which originated in Southeast Asia, had which of the following impacts on China? (A) It led to a decrease in population due to disease (B) It caused widespread famine due to overplanting (C) It supported population growth due to higher yields (D) It decreased the need for trade with other regions

Short Answer Question:

Briefly explain how the spread of crops like bananas and champa rice impacted societies in Africa and East Asia.

Free Response Question:

Analyze the environmental consequences of increased connectivity and trade between 1200 and 1750. Be sure to include both positive and negative impacts. (7 points)

• Thesis (1 point): Presents a historically defensible thesis/claim that establishes a line of reasoning.
• Contextualization (1 point): Describes a broader historical context relevant to the prompt.
• Evidence (2 points): Provides specific examples of positive and negative environmental consequences of trade.
• Analysis and Reasoning (2 points): Explains how connectivity and trade led to these environmental changes.
• Complexity (1 point): Demonstrates a nuanced understanding of the topic by considering multiple perspectives or contradictory evidence.