The Columbian Exchange was not established by a single individual, but rather a series of events during the Age of Exploration that facilitated the exchange of plants, animals, and diseases between the Americas, Europe, and Africa. Christopher Columbus is often credited as the catalyst for this exchange, as his voyages to the Americas in the late 15th century led to European encounters with new species and spurred further exploration and trade.
Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade
The trans-Atlantic slave trade was not established by a single individual, but was a complex system that involved multiple European nations, African polities, and indigenous groups. It had its origins in the 15th century when Portuguese traders began transporting enslaved Africans across the Atlantic to work on plantations and other industries in the Americas. The trade grew significantly during the 17th and 18th centuries as European powers expanded their colonial holdings in the New World.