What was a negative effect of the Columbian Exchange?

The correct answer highlights a significant and tragic impact of the Columbian Exchange: the massive population decline among Native Americans due to diseases. When Europeans arrived in the Americas, they brought with them various diseases such as smallpox, measles, and influenza, for which the Indigenous populations had no immunity. This led to devastating outbreaks that wiped out large portions of Native American communities. The loss of life was not only a demographic catastrophe but also affected cultural and social structures among Indigenous peoples, as entire communities were decimated. This aspect of the Columbian Exchange emphasizes the unintended consequences of contact between different civilizations, underscoring how the transfer of people, goods, and ideas can have profound and often tragic effects on populations.