Assignment:
In this Discussion Board, the assignment is for all of you to discuss the Age of Discovery or what is ofter referred to as the Columbian Exchange. The fact that this era is still called the 'age of discovery' carries the implication that somehow North and South America were 'lost' before European Contact. The truth is that these two worlds meeting for the first time in any sustained way did change the world and had a tremendous impact on Europe and Africa, as well as the Americas.
I want you to discuss some of the changes and exchanges. You may discuss this in terms of foods, plants, animals, diseases, or even people. The other part of this I would like you to think about and discuss is how glossed over much of the history from this time is when it is taught to
children. Many of you will recognize the title of this board as a song title from a Disney movie. Disney has gone beyond simplifying history for children to actually rewriting it. For instance their version of Pocahontas may actually be the worst case of the sanitizing of this period ever.