1493: Uncovering the New World Columbus Created in Science and Inquiry

Nov 24, 2011 David Rubenstein rated it it was amazing

Shelves: audiobook, nonfiction, history

This fascinating, authoritative book describes the "Columbian Exchange" after Columbus' "discovery" of the Americas. The book describes the exchange of people, products, plants, animals, and micro-organisms between the Americas and the rest of the world. Much of the book discusses the growth and trade of tobacco, potatoes, tomatoes, corn, silver, sugar, slaves, mosquitoes, smallpox, guano and rubber. Charles Mann emphasizes the unintended consequences of this trade.

The book is peppered with int This fascinating, authoritative book describes the "Columbian Exchange" after Columbus' "discovery" of the Americas. The book describes the exchange of people, products, plants, animals, and micro-organisms between the Americas and the rest of the world. Much of the book discusses the growth and trade of tobacco, potatoes, tomatoes, corn, silver, sugar, slaves, mosquitoes, smallpox, guano and rubber. Charles Mann emphasizes the unintended consequences of this trade.

The book is peppered with interesting facts. In England, for example, it was much more lucrative for rich people to hire indentured servants than to buy slaves. However, until the 19th century, twice as many slaves were brought to the Americas as Europeans, largely due to the fact that Africans were less susceptible to malaria! Jamestown was the American settlement where African slaves were first bought. Jamestown was a project of a private investment company; huge amounts of capital and large numbers of English people went there. Most of the people perished, due to arrogance and incompetence.

Spanish conquistadors displayed amazing inhumanity to the populations they encountered in the Americas--not just by modern standards, but even by the standards of their time. Even the Spanish rulers recognized the inhumanity, and tried unsuccessfully to rein in the Spanish atrocities. Mexico City was the first truly international metropolis, inhabited by people from all the continents.

The Chinese economy during this time period was a mess. Incoming rulers would periodically invalidate the currency, and replace it with new currency, thus bankrupting the nation with impunity, all for the sake of personal vanity. Silver from Bolivia helped to temporarily stabilize the economy, before wrecking it again.

Many other reviewers have compared 1493 to Charles Mann's earlier book 1491, which details the Americas before Columbus. However, one should not view 1493 as simply a continuation of 1491, as 1493 is just as much about the "old world" as it is about the new. One can view 1493 as being primarily about unintended consequences, both good and bad, for the new world as well as for the old world. ...more

14 likes · Like · see review

Jan 10, 2021 Emily Brown rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Shelves: history, didnotfinish

His views on race are conceited and privilege driven. A giant FUCK NO in my reading list. Jared Diamond is intensely more interesting and less biased. This book touts opinions with no backing sources. Fuck that nonsense.

2 likes · Like · see review

Apr 05, 2019 bup rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobook, history, 2019

Wow but this dragged on. I wanted to learn about how the world was suddenly different after Columbus made the voyage to Hispaniola in 1492, and I did, but I didn't need to hear so much about so many crops for so long.

It picked up in parts for me - latex/natural rubber being a new world cultivation was new to me (Incans had rubber balls which fascinated the Spaniards who first saw them), and the history of rubber, which includes that Goodyear never made the fortune he probably deserved and that t ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Jan 19, 2012 Patricrk patrick rated it liked it

Shelves: history

Mann tries to show how the globalization of the world due to the discovery of the New World has occurred. The effects of tobacco, maize (American corn),sweet potato and potatoes had major impacts on the population in Africa and China. Imported disease had a devastating impact on the Americas. Mexico City became the first truly modern city with a mix of people from all over the world including a China Town. Except for the north part of North America, most of the Americas was settled mainly by peo ...more

Like · see review

Aug 03, 2013 Velvetink marked it as to-read

EPUB TUEBL

Like · see review

Apr 20, 2013 Kathleen rated it really liked it

Shelves: history

On 2nd read, really appreciated the portrayal of the gradual connection of peoples from different continents occurred. Really enjoyed the story of the maroons in the last chapter. History can be so interesting when all the people are included, not just Europeans.

There were more than Europeans moving all over the face of the earth during the couple centuries after 1492. An interesting and well written collection of examples.

Like · see review