FINAL ESSAY
NEW WORLD CROPS
History 9-3
Samer Ahour
Samer Achour 26/5/2011
Rough Draft
Thirteen thousand years ago, potatoes were cultivated in South America. Additionally,
Incas preserved potatoes by dehydrating and mashing it into chuñu, which could be stored at
room temperature up to 10 years. “The potato may be as close as we’ll ever get to the perfect
food.” “Eyeing the Potato’s Effect on 18th Century Europe.” Potatoes are rich with almost all
kinds of vitamins and minerals needed for survival except, vitamin A. Hence, potatoes are a main
source of nutrition that would supply almost all essential nutrients. When Darwin went to central
Chilie, he was fascinated by how strong potatoes were, and how much potatoes can endure harsh
environmental changes.
Out looking for gold, the Spanish first came across potato in Peru around 1532. Back
then the Spanish noticed that the Incan miners were eating chunu. The Spanish did not value
potatoes at the time, but gradually started using it on their ships as a source of food. It wasn’t
until 1570 that potatoes arrived to Spain, and at that time, a few farmers grew potatoes as food
for their barn animals. By the year 1600, potatoes were spread throughout Europe, but they were
not getting popular due to the superstitions that were imported with them.
Potatoes spread randomly around the world and fed millions dying of starvation. These
facts about potatoes have lead to the reality that potatoes got so famous and a main source of
food for the poor. Potatoes, an everyday supplement, changed the face of Europe.
Since the upper class in Europe were the first to experience potatoes, and were more
educated and wise that lower classes, their experience was not undermined. The upper class saw
the potential that potatoes held and they had to take the lead in order to get other lower classes
aware of the importance of potato. While the upper class encouraged the use of potatoes, the
lower class were superstitious about the use of potatoes especially that it was a crop that was
brought from an invaded land from where “the lords” brought their slaves, and they wouldn’t eat
slave food. But the Royal society in England, recommended the cultivation of potatoes to the
English government, but that did not have any impact at all. Potatoes remained uncommon and
un-famous until the food shortages that struck Europe where back then, governments started to
encourage growing potatoes, and potatoes became popular and very common. Potatoes usage
became so essential that the Board of Agriculture issued a pamphlet, in 1795, titled: “Hints
respecting the culture and use of potatoes.” “Gradually, the lower classes began to follow the
lead of the upper classes.” “History Magazine”
Medieval Europe main food resource was grain, mostly wheat. During that time, families
didn’t have lots of land to grow their crops in, and if they were lucky they would produce enough
grain to feed them and pay the taxes for one year, but that food resource was scarce and limited,
thus people did not have the ability to stay healthy to fight disease and to grow in numbers. And
it was also hard for people to save any crops for a bad season or bad luck. Most of the lower
classes in Europe slept hungry. When potatoes were introduced, they made a huge difference in
the medieval European societies since one acre of land could produce large quantities of
potatoes, a lot larger than grains of all kinds. And to add to that, potatoes were a very good
nutritious dietary source. Thus with growing potatoes, families were able to feed themselves, and
also to feed their cattle thus having more sources of food. Thus, “the potato in fact made possible
dramatically increased population growth.” “CHAPTER FOUR”, which, by itself, led to
demographic shifts, migrations, especially in places like Ireland, several German states, and
Eastern Europe. Potatoes were the poor people’s best friend.
Two examples of the potato's effect or changing population numbers happened in Ireland
and in Germany. Around 1780 the Irish population was almost 4 million, and by the introduction
of potato during that period the population increased until it reached almost 8 million around
1841. In Germany, potatoes were introduced to the culture starting the 1700’s, by 1750 the
German population was 17 million, and in only 50 years, by 1800, the German population
reached 25 million. This great increase in the population happened without any special
cultivation techniques of the potato; instead potatoes were cultivated using the widespread
cultivation techniques of the time. But due to the superb ability of potatoes to grow fast and in
numerous numbers, the potato was sufficient to keep everyone’s belly full and health in good
condition.
Back when the new world was still being discovered, the world was suffering from a
huge loss of population due to famine. Potatoes were discovered in the new world, and they
helped put an end to the famine, also it served to feed both high and low classes and it served to
be a substitute for most crops because of the vitamins and minerals it contains. Potatoes were a
cure for the starving old world countries; it signified a new beginning and a prosperous future for
Europe.
Works Cited
"Eyeing the Potato’s Effect on 18th Century Europe - Real Time Economics - WSJ." WSJ Blogs
- WSJ. Web. 26 May 2011. <http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2008/06/19/eyeing-the-
potatos-effect-on-18th-century-europe/>.
"History Magazine - The Impact of the Potato." History Magazine - Home. Web. 26 May 2011.
<http://www.history-magazine.com/potato.html>.
"Modern History Sourcebook: Accounts of the "Potato Revolution," 1695 - 1845."
FORDHAM.EDU. Web. 26 May 2011.
<http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/1695potato.html>.
"The Impact of Discovery In Europe." WWW-VL History Central Catalogue. Web. 26 May
2011. <http://vlib.iue.it/carrie/reference/worldhistory/sections/19impact.html>.
"CHAPTER FOUR." Home | Honolulu Community College. Web. 26 May 2011.
<http://honolulu.hawaii.edu/distance/hist/eurbenefit.htm>.
