UPSC Prelims 2019 · Question 61 of 99
UPSC Prelims 2019 question on New World Crops
- ExamUPSC CSE
- Year2019
- PaperGeneral Studies Paper I
- SubjectModern History
- TopicAdvent of Europeans in India
- DifficultyMedium
- TypeDirect
Which one of the following groups of plants was domesticated in the 'New World' and introduced into the 'Old World'?
Show answer
Answer: A. Tobacco, cocoa and rubber
Verdict
Correct answer: Tobacco, cocoa and rubber → Option (a).
Analysis
After the voyages of Christopher Columbus in 1492, the Columbian exchange brought New World crops such as maize, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and manioc to Europe, and Old World crops such as wheat, barley, rice, and turnips, and livestock including horses, cattle, sheep, and goats to the Americas.
Tobacco, cocoa (cacao), and rubber are all plants that were originally domesticated in the Americas (New World) and later introduced to the Old World (Europe, Africa, Asia) through the Columbian Exchange.
Cotton and coffee are Old World plants; wheat is an Old World crop.