What were the impacts of the discovery of the Americas on Europe and the average European?

by Thomas-of-Astora

Any sources would be very helpful, thanks.

DarthNetflix

Columbian Exchange is a very, very, very expansive topic of discussion. The aftermath of Columbus's contact with the western hemisphere had very far-reaching consequences that cannot be summed up in either a single post or a single book. The ripples of the New World permeated nearly every aspect of the Old World in ways both obvious and subtle. In no way is my post comprehensive. Much of what I write is highly simplified and cannot be summed up satisfactorily in a few sentences.

Food

This probably touches closer to what you're looking for. What can be more common than food? The Western Hemisphere was the original home to what would become staple foods around the world. Italians in the 15th century did not have red sauce with their pasta because tomatoes originated in Peru! Most people probably associate potatoes most closely with Ireland, but this too originated from the western hemisphere in Peru. Corn, hot peppers, paprika, peanuts, yams; all of these foods became staples of the diets of people from around the world, but all of them originated from the Americas and didn't take root until after its discovery.

(It didn't just happen with the Americas, either. Pasta and tea, Italian and British icons respectively, both originated from China and were only imported much later to the west.)

Disease

Pathogen-wise, one of the most impact importation from the New World was syphilis. The Eastern Hemisphere had sexual diseases for sure, but syphilis, or "the pox" as it was often called, only made the rounds in Europe after 1492 when Spanish explorers brought the disease back with them.

Finance

Economically, the massive influx of wealth and capital accelerated Europe's movements toward capitalism. The enormous growth of material wealth in Europe led to innovations in financial fields including but not limited to banking, investment, and the beginnings of stock-trading and big-business (again, this is a very simplistic overview).

Sources