Which staple crop was among the goods from the New World transferred during the Columbian Exchange?

Which staple crop was among the goods from the New World transferred during the Columbian Exchange?

• A. Wheat
• B. Rice
• C. Maize
• D. Barley

Answer: (C)

Maize, or corn, is a staple that was first domesticated in the Americas and then spread to the Old World after the Columbian Exchange, becoming a key food source in many regions. This transfer of crops shows how New World crops could transform diets and agriculture worldwide once encountered by Europeans, Africans, and Asians. The other options—wheat, barley, and rice—are traditional Old World crops that were already cultivated in Europe, Asia, and Africa long before Columbus arrived, so they don’t exemplify a crop transferred from the New World.

Maize, or corn, is a staple that was first domesticated in the Americas and then spread to the Old World after the Columbian Exchange, becoming a key food source in many regions. This transfer of crops shows how New World crops could transform diets and agriculture worldwide once encountered by Europeans, Africans, and Asians. The other options—wheat, barley, and rice—are traditional Old World crops that were already cultivated in Europe, Asia, and Africa long before Columbus arrived, so they don’t exemplify a crop transferred from the New World.