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Question 21

Which one of the following groups of plants was domesticated in the 'New World' and introduced into the 'Old World'?

AOptions

A) Tobacco, cocoa and rubber

B) Tobacco, cotton and rubber

C) Cotton, coffee and sugarcane

D) Rubber, coffee and wheat

BSolution

This question pertains to the Columbian Exchange, which describes the widespread transfer of plants, animals, culture, human populations, technology, and ideas between the Americas (the 'New World') and the Old World (Europe, Africa, and Asia) in the 15th and 16th centuries. Among the options:

Tobacco: Native to the Americas, it was introduced to Europe and then globally.
Cocoa: Native to Mesoamerica and South America, it was brought to the Old World.
Rubber: The rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis) is native to the Amazon rainforest in South America, and its cultivation was later introduced to Southeast Asia and other parts of the Old World.
Cotton: While some species are native to the New World, cultivated cotton also has ancient origins in the Old World (e.g., India, Africa).
Coffee: Native to Africa (Ethiopia).
Sugarcane: Native to Southeast Asia.
Wheat: Native to the Fertile Crescent in the Old World.

Therefore, the group 'Tobacco, cocoa and rubber' exclusively represents plants domesticated in the 'New World' and subsequently introduced to the 'Old World'.

CStrategy

For questions on the Columbian Exchange or the spread of crops, focus on iconic examples that are clearly associated with either the Old World or the New World. Create lists of key plants and animals that were part of this exchange and their origins. This often requires memorizing specific examples.

DSyllabus Analysis

This question falls under Indian and World Geography, specifically Human Geography and Cultural Geography, related to the historical transfer of crops and the Columbian Exchange.

EQuestion Analysis

Medium. Requires specific knowledge of the origins of major agricultural crops and their historical spread.