Has the Discovery of America been Useful or Harmful to Mankind?

The Benefits of Discovering America by the Europeans
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Discovering the Americas was undoubtedly one of the most momentous occasions in the annals of humankind's past. This discovery set in motion some of the most significant events in the course of human history, including the modernization of the globe and the introduction of hope for a life that is honest. Their culture shifted from the worn-out and fading beliefs of the Old World to the exhilarating promise and potential of the New World as a result of America's discovery. The discovery of America created many opportunities and benefits for the Europeans.
The exploration of new lands resulted in identifying previously unknown resources, such as tobacco, coffee, and cacao bean. At this time, a complex trading platform known as the "Columbian Exchange" was built. This platform was used to symbolize the trade of products to and from the Americas. These novel goods had a significant impact on the culture of Europe. As tobacco smoking became a fashionable activity, coffee houses sprung up throughout Europe simultaneously. In addition, the diets of Europeans shifted, with potatoes becoming a widespread staple food (Quitt 1995). The abundance of gold and silver in the Americas also benefitted Spain and Portugal. Because of this, the English, French, and Dutch were urged by the Spanish and Portuguese to explore the Americas on their own, which eventually resulted in the colonization of North America and the Caribbean. Additionally, the massive destruction of native populations and the large labor force needed to maintain new lands and establish new trade networks caused the Spanish to redirect their focus away from America. The Spanish were forced to look away from the American slaves. The slave trade began when they first began transporting slaves from Africa (Games and Rothman 2008).
The discovery of America provided a haven for Europeans who were being persecuted for their religious beliefs on their continent. The idea, shared by Catholics and Protestants alike, that there must be religious conformity in any given society gave rise to the religious persecution that drove settlers from Europe to the British Nort...