The impact of Christopher Columbus's exploration was immediately felt by what became known as "The New World". The changes that The New World experienced is commonly called The Columbian Exchange. Below is a diagram of The Columbian Exchange, it depicts some of the exchanges that took place after the Europeans (Old World) began to explore The Americas (New World).

This is an image of The Columbian Exchange which depicts the movement of goods between the Old World (Europe) to the New World (The Americas) as a result of Columbus' journey to the New World.

Source: The Columbian Exchange, Wikispaces: Globalimperialism

Today, we experience many of the changes that resulted from The Columbian Exchange. Are you familiar with any of the items from the map below?

The Columbian Exchange diagram displays items that came from the Americas to Europe, Africa, and Asia and from Europe, Africa, and Asia to the Americans as a result of Columbus' exploration to the New World.

Source: The Columbian Exchange, Wikispaces: Globalimperialism

One of the major occurrences that resulted from The Columbian Exchange is a phenomenon that continues today. It is called spatial diffusion

Text: 'Spatial Diffusion: The spread of ideas, inventions, or patterns of behavior to different societies.'

There are many examples of Spatial Diffusion in our world. If you have ever eaten Mexican food or seen a Buddhist temple in the United States, then you have seen the results of spatial diffusion. The photos below are evidence that the customs, architecture, and even food have traveled from their place of origin to the United States.

Image of the Hsi Lai Temple in California.

Source: Lightmatter Hsi Lai temple, Lightmatter, Wikimedia

image of a bowl of nachos topped with cheese and jalapenos

Source: Goettanachos, Khg808, Wikipedia

Video: Ancient Warriors

This lesson will give you an example of how spatial diffusion greatly impacted one culture. This video will introduce you to the Aztec Warriors of the ancient city of Tenochtitlan and the Spanish Conquistadors who explored the New World and what was eventually called Mexico. The video will also give you the background of how the Spanish would forever impact this country and its culture.

This activity might not be viewable on your mobile device.Video segment. Assistance may be required. Rise of the Aztecs