This comic, captioned "Circa 1500 A.D.: Horses are introduced to America", provides an amusing insight to the actual bringing of horses to the New World. It provides this through the Columbian Exchange, as well as playing with the phrase "introduced to America". Just as we learned in class, the Columbian Exchange introduced horses and many other products to the Americas, and this comic depicts it literally, showing a horse being introduced with a native. The comic shows the Spanish coming to the new world on their ships, bringing horses, who are greeted by natives. Their ship is anchored in the distance, and this event is stated to have happened in the year 1500.
I connect this source to class through the Columbian Exchange. The horse in this comic could very well have been bananas, sugar cane, or cholera. The native in the picture looks a bit confused by this new acquaintance, as well he should be. Just as this comic shows, the Spanish brought new things to the New World that may have intrigued Natives, and vice-versa. This image, however, doesn't show the far more morbid side of the Columbian Exchange. Spanish explorers brought over not only horses, but deadly disease as well. Although this source may have been more about the phrase "introducing" than the Columbian Exchange, it still illustrates it's place in popular culture. This source effectively shows a bit of history in a humorous sense, and can be further read into to explain the Columbian Exchange.
I like how your blog post was short and sweet. I think you did a very nice job and chose an interesting source. I liked how you included more products that were exchanged other than just the horses. The comic was funny and could clearly relate to the Columbian Exchange.Your introduction was also very inormative and helpful. Nice Job!
ReplyDeleteMatt,
ReplyDeleteI really liked the connection you made in this blog post. Being a fan of The Far Side, myself, I could appreciate the linking of a comic to something we learned in class. I especially liked your comment about how the horse in the picture could easily be a banana, sugar cane, or cholera, as, however silly it may be, it is very true and makes you think about the way Columbus introduced the products of the Columbian Exchange to the Native Americans. Did Columbus explain in a friendly manner each thing's benefit (except maybe cholera) or did he just leave these goods in the New World? Anyway, excellent and very thought-provoking blog post. Great job!
-Travis