Final answer:
The New World provided vital resources such as American silver, crops like maize, potatoes, and tomatoes, tobacco, and animal pelts to the Old World during the 15th and 16th centuries, significantly altering European diets, economies, and cultures.
Step-by-step explanation:
Resources Provided by the New World to the Old World
The New World provided a wealth of resources to the Old World during the 15th and 16th centuries, which was a period marked by expansion and colonization. One of the primary resources was American silver, which became a cornerstone of European wealth and commerce. Additionally, the New World introduced a variety of crops such as maize (corn), potatoes, and tomatoes, which had a significant impact on the diets and agriculture in the Old World.
Other contributions included tobacco, which became a popular commodity, and the exchange of animal pelts, especially beaver pelts that were highly valued for hat-making in Europe.
These goods contributed to the European mercantilist economy, where colonies provided raw materials to fuel industrial growth and trade imbalances were carefully managed to benefit the colonial powers. Alongside these material goods, cultural exchanges and the sharing of knowledge also took place, profoundly affecting both hemispheres.