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Commonwealth Museum   Secretary of the Commonwealth William Francis Galvin
Commonwealth Museum Secretary of the Commonwealth William Francis Galvin

Food for Thought: A World Transformed


“New World” crops played a critical role in world history and also deeply influenced the development of Massachusetts


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“The aboundant increase of [Indian] corne proves this Country to be a wonderment… yea Josephs increase in AEgypt is out-stript here with us.”

– Reverend Francis Higginson

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A painting of a slave ship packed with slaves and white sailors treating them cruely on the top level.
Slave ships were provisioned with corn for the crossing from Africa.
- Robert Riggs

Corn and Population Growth
 On his fourth voyage to America, Christopher Columbus saw Taino Indians planting a crop that they called “mahiz.” As “maize” or “Indian corn” the food quickly spread across the globe. It led to growth in the population of China and played an important role in the development of African slavery. Corn helped to increase the population of western Africa and provided a stable source of food for the brutal trans Atlantic crossing of slave ships.

Cornucopia
The oldest fossilized corn was found in Mexico, dating back 7,000 years. Corn originated in Mexico or Central America and arrived in present day Massachusetts about 2,000 years ago. It would become the most important grain for English colonists.

A photograph of Indian Corn
“Indian corn” was more colorful than popular varieties today.
- Sam Fentress

A painting of Frederick the great encouraging peasants to grow potatoes.
In Prussia Frederick the Great encouraged peasants to cultivate potatoes. Russia’s Catherine the Great also promoted this New World crop.
- Deutches Historisches Museum

The Humble Potato
 In the 1530’s Spanish explorers watched the Inca harvesting potatoes in Peru and introduced them to Europe. At first there were rumors linking potatoes with diseases including leprosy. Frederick the Great of Prussia saw military value in spuds. Growing underground, the crop was more difficult for invading armies to destroy. Potatoes fueled a population explosion in Germany and Russia. They were brought to Massachusetts by English settlers. The Irish potato famine changed Massachusetts with waves of nineteenth century immigrants.

This bill for dinner for an Admiralty Court is dated April, 9th, 1675.

Potatoes . . .

Popcorn
 Archaeologists have uncovered evidence that native people in Peru prepared popcorn over 3,000 year ago. According to legend Wampanoags brought it to Plymouth for the 1621 feast. That is unlikely since local varieties of corn were not effective for popping.