Episode 154: Aztec Memories Part VIII-Columbian Nightmare

The Columbian Exchange remains maybe the most significant historical development in modern history-setting the stage for the world we inhabit today. In modern day Mexico, the post-conquest colonial period led to the beginnings of many processes that would define Mexico and the Americas for years to come-the encomienda system, the racial casta system, class struggle in Mexico, tension between Spanish and indigenous, and the sparks of future Revolution. With the benefit of hindsight and counterfactuals, it's worth asking if the Columbian Exchange was the best or worst outcome we could have gotten?

This is the final part in a series on the rise, fall, and enduring legacy of the Aztec Empire. Thanks for listening and thanks for the support. 

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