the columbian exchange was a trade event that took place in the 16th and 17th centuries between europe and america the columbian exchange refers to the huge trade in animals and plants between the old world and the new world that was created by christopher columbus in 1492 when he sailed the ocean blue and discovered america. this massive exchange of plants and animals from the old world to the new world not only transformed the political and economic life of europe, but it also changed the course of history in the americas as well. in fact, the impact of the columbian exchange was so enormous that it brought to an end the age of exploration and opened the way to an age of expansionism that would dominate european, asian, and american affairs for the next three centuries. it was also responsible for the rapid expansion of global trade and the development of economic interdependence between europe and the united states which laid the foundation for the emergence of the modern world. as a result, it played a central role in the rise of capitalism and the start of the industrial revolution which eventually led to the decline of feudalism and the rise of monarchical rule in europe and helped to spark a revolution that overthrew the french monarchy and led to the establishment of the first french republic which was the prototype of the modern democratic state. it also contributed to the rapid progress of science as new technologies were developed in the new world which were then brought back to europe where they provided the impetus for the scientific revolution. moreover, it was a key factor in the development of the modern world as it ushered in an era of colonization in which european countries colonized most of the non-european parts of the world and played a significant role in the development of the world as we know it today. in short, the columbian exchange is widely regarded as the decisive turning point in history and it played a vital role in shaping the world into the place that it is today.