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Smallpox Aided Aztec Conquest
- Hernan Cortes' conquest of the Aztecs was aided by an outbreak of smallpox decimating the native population.
- This disease factor was crucial as Europeans had built immunity from millennia of domesticating animals.
Potosi Silver Mine and Slavery
- Discovery of the Potosi silver mountain revolutionized global silver production.
- The exploitation led to forced labor and appalling conditions, with millions of slaves worked to death.
Columbian Exchange Transformed Diets
- The Columbian Exchange introduced crops like potatoes, tomatoes, and cotton globally.
- These crops fueled population growth and laid foundations for European industrial and economic expansion.