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What were the cons of the Columbian Exchange?

The Columbian Exchange refers to the exchange of produce, animals, and biological processes between the Old World and the New after Columbus's expedition in 1492. One of the cons of the exchange was the diseases brought from Europe to the New World. These diseases, including smallpox, influenza, and measles, decimated Native American populations, as New World populations did not have immunity to them. It is estimated that the Taino, who lived on the island of Hispaniola, lost over 90% of their population as a result of suffering from European diseases. Later, the Aztecs were decimated by smallpox. These diseases were brought unwittingly by the Europeans and were not part of an intentional effort to destroy New World populations. However, Europeans also brought the practice of slavery with them, another con of the Columbian Exchange. Slaves were brought from Africa to the New World to work on growing crops such as cotton, tobacco, and sugar, instituting a brutal system that was to last for centuries. 

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