Political Economy of the Middle East: Economic Development, Vol. 5 Book

Following in Alfred Crosby's footsteps, this book examines the biological conquest of the New World, specifically the highland central Mexico of the 16th century. The introduction of Old World species--especially sheep--into the New World ecosystems allowed for the indigenous populations to be conquered and enslaved by Europeans. The transformation of the soil-water regime and physical environment in turn changed the traditional natural resources of the indigenous communities, which aided the Spanish takeover of the region.