The Columbian Exchange – a term coined by Alfred Crosby – refers to the exchange of plants, animals and diseases between the Old and New Worlds, after the arrival of Columbus in the Caribbean in 1492. The Columbian exchange had great significance in American and world history. It is the reason why Native American populations declined dramatically, as well as why some European countries became some of the richest countries in the world at the time. While it is responsible for the movement of plants, animals, and diseases, it is also responsible for the technological advances that have shaped our world into what it is today. One specific part of the Colombian exchange that impacted the world was the exchange of sheep. While sheep may have appeared recently in the Americas, their origins date back to Central Asia, where they were domesticated 10,000 years ago. However, humans didn't figure out how to spin wool until 3,500 BC. Sheep provided two things necessary for human life: food and warmth, which made them very important. Sheep and their wool spread to Europe through Ancient Greece between 3000 BC and 1000 BC. The exchange of sheep during the Columbian Exchange between 1450 and 1750 AD evolved and advanced the economy of both the New and the Old World and affected the world politically and socially - specifically harming Native American and native animal populations. However, despite these changes driven by sheep trading, industries derived from sheep products, such as the wool industry, remain large industries today, and those who are adversely affected by sheep continue to use them and their products. Sheep first landed in the New World with Columbus on his second voyage to......middle of paper......played an important role in both the New World and the Old World. Sheep allowed the Old World to become wealthy through the creation of the wool industry, and also led to the development and growth of the global agricultural economy as sheep became another source of food. Sheep have also had a social impact on the globe, causing populations of Native Americans and native animals to decline. However, sheep still continued to be used by the natives, and the wool industry itself remains today one of many large industries influencing our economy. Works Cited Crosby, Alfred W. The Columbian Exchange: Biological and Cultural Consequences of 1492. Westport, CT: Greenwood, 1972. Print.Osburn, Katherine. "The Colombian Stock Exchange." The Colombian Stock Exchange. Tennessee TechUniversity and Web. November 17. 2013. .