Light

New World

Definition

The term "New World" refers to the Western Hemisphere, specifically the Americas and Oceania, which were unknown to most Europeans before the voyages of Christopher Columbus.

Analogy

Think of the "New World" as a newly released video game that players (Europeans) are eager to explore. They've been playing on their old consoles (the Old World), but now there's this whole new world with different landscapes, characters, and resources they've never seen before.

Historical Context

The term "New World" refers to the Western Hemisphere, particularly the Americas, including North and South America. Its emergence as a concept followed Christopher Columbus's voyage in 1492, which was initially intended to find a western route to Asia but instead led to the European discovery of the American continents. This term embodies the age of exploration and European colonial expansion from the late 15th century onward.

Historical Significance

The discovery of the New World had profound consequences for global history. It initiated the Columbian Exchange, where goods, crops, and populations were transferred between the Old and New Worlds. This exchange drastically altered ecosystems, agriculture, and diets worldwide. The colonization of the Americas also led to significant demographic shifts due to disease, warfare, and slavery, shaping economic systems and power dynamics that have had enduring effects into modern times.

Related terms

Columbian Exchange: This is the widespread transfer of plants, animals, culture, human populations, technology, diseases, and ideas between the Americas and the Old World in the 15th and 16th centuries following Columbus' voyages.

Age of Exploration: This was a period from the early 15th century and continuing into the early 17th century during which European ships traveled around the world to search for new trading routes and partners. It led to discovery of lands previously unknown to Europeans.

Indigenous Peoples: These are ethnic groups who are native to a land or region, especially before an invading culture took control. In context of New World it refers primarily to Native Americans.