Atlantic Economy? help

hi everyone,

Well I have to write a paper on which I have to claim to which contributed more to the Americas, either the Columbian Exchange or the Atlantic Economy.

One problem Im having is I know a lot about the Columbian Exchange, but I don't have a single idea of what the professor means with Atlantic Economy. I know that a lot of things where shipped back and fourth in the Columbian Exchange, and wouldn't that quality as an Atlantic Economy as well since its went over the Atlantic ocean.

So if you guys could help me out with this, that would be awesome. I don't need anyone to write me a essay, not asking for that. I just need to know what the Atlantic Economy is about? What made this economy up and what made it an economy, what was traded that made this whole thing into a economy.

Thanks for the help.

He means the Atlantic Economy that lead to the discovery of the New World. I just figured it out, basically the Atlantic economy was a focus on discovering a new rout to Asia for faster trade. Columbus sailed west and found the new world, but he thought he found the Indies. 

Thats what he basically means, what lead to the new world discovery, other words Atlantic Economy. The trade of slaves, trade of products, and thats how the new world was discovered. Then came the Columbian Exchange..

Yea I basically understand it now...unless someone wants to correct me.

Lol what is usually called the Atlantic Economy is the highly integrated trade system set up after the 1670 over the Atlantic mainly between the English and French colonies and Europe.

The produces exchanged were mostly sugar, fur and tobacco (cotton came later). But it also worked on the other sense, important such as Port wine made the fortune of several traders. Of course the triangular trade was also included in this integrated economy.

On the other hand the so-called Colombian trade consisted mostly of gold and silver exchanged against European produces such as oil ad cloth. It would be wrong to oppose them chronologically as the Portuguese gold was shipped all the way to the 19th century but the Atlantic trade started later and was based on a more refined type of commerce. To develop it needed peace and thus could only start after the end of big pirateering and during the long peace of the 18th century.