European nations came to the New World to expand their ideas over world affairs and gain more wealth. Many of the people also came to the New World to practice their own form of religion without being persecuted for it. The first Europeans to explore the New World were the Spanish and they were also the first to settle in what is now the United States. This New World for Europeans was already home for the Native Americans. As the European explorers continues to expand in North America, they brought many changes to Native American tribes. Europeans carried what would soon be the Indians worst enemy: The European disease call smallpox. Smallpox is a contagious, disfiguring and deadly virus. The pox of smallpox comes from the Latin root for “spotted”
…show more content…
“The diseases introduced in the Americas by the Europeans were crowd diseases: that is, individuals who have once contracted the disease and survived become immune to the disease” (nativeamericannetroots.net). Native Americans, on the other hand were not. Historically, Native Americans were healthier than the Europeans. “The first Europeans to reach North America often commented on the large size of the Indians. American Indians were larger than the Europeans simply due to better diets and less starvation” (nativeamericannetroots.net). Because Native Americans were healthier than the Europeans, they were able to avoid diseases before the European arrival. Europeans depended on domesticated animals more than the Indians. Many of the domesticated animals carried the diseases that affected many of the Europeans. “Lacking the large domesticated animals, there were comparatively few opportunities in this hemisphere for the transfer of infections from animal reservoirs of disease to human beings” (nativeamericannetroots.net). Due to the Indians natural diet, they were not as depended on animals, as the Europeans were. This explains why the Indians had no prior immunity to …show more content…
“Native American trade routes interconnected the many diverse cultures on this continent. The new European diseases simply followed these trade routes, carried by both the traders and their goods” (nativeamericannetroots.net). Smallpox could live in “in cloth, particularly cotton cloth, for many years” (pg. 1). New trade goods represented another big change to American Indians. Soon after meeting the European visitors after their arrival, Indians became very interested and fascinated in things that the colonist could provide. In a matter of time, the Indians began using these new goods in their everyday lives. Because the good were able to carry the virus, this was one of the ways Indians tribes got affected. The other way Indians were affected with smallpox was through direct contact with colonists. European germs were horrible and Indians would later learn that.
Native Americans were dying like wildfire. “In the Southeast, the Muskogee (Creek) population has been estimated at two hundred thousand before the Europeans arrived on the continent. It had declined to about twenty thousand by the time Europeans actually visited their villages” (nativeamericannetroots.net). This was the sad story of many other tribes in this era. Sometimes whole villages vanished and died out in a short time. English explorer Thomas Harriot talked about his observations in his writings regarding the death
“The diseases introduced in the Americas by the Europeans were crowd diseases: that is, individuals who have once contracted the disease and survived become immune to the disease” (nativeamericannetroots.net). Native Americans, on the other hand were not. Historically, Native Americans were healthier than the Europeans. “The first Europeans to reach North America often commented on the large size of the Indians. American Indians were larger than the Europeans simply due to better diets and less starvation” (nativeamericannetroots.net). Because Native Americans were healthier than the Europeans, they were able to avoid diseases before the European arrival. Europeans depended on domesticated animals more than the Indians. Many of the domesticated animals carried the diseases that affected many of the Europeans. “Lacking the large domesticated animals, there were comparatively few opportunities in this hemisphere for the transfer of infections from animal reservoirs of disease to human beings” (nativeamericannetroots.net). Due to the Indians natural diet, they were not as depended on animals, as the Europeans were. This explains why the Indians had no prior immunity to …show more content…
“Native American trade routes interconnected the many diverse cultures on this continent. The new European diseases simply followed these trade routes, carried by both the traders and their goods” (nativeamericannetroots.net). Smallpox could live in “in cloth, particularly cotton cloth, for many years” (pg. 1). New trade goods represented another big change to American Indians. Soon after meeting the European visitors after their arrival, Indians became very interested and fascinated in things that the colonist could provide. In a matter of time, the Indians began using these new goods in their everyday lives. Because the good were able to carry the virus, this was one of the ways Indians tribes got affected. The other way Indians were affected with smallpox was through direct contact with colonists. European germs were horrible and Indians would later learn that.
Native Americans were dying like wildfire. “In the Southeast, the Muskogee (Creek) population has been estimated at two hundred thousand before the Europeans arrived on the continent. It had declined to about twenty thousand by the time Europeans actually visited their villages” (nativeamericannetroots.net). This was the sad story of many other tribes in this era. Sometimes whole villages vanished and died out in a short time. English explorer Thomas Harriot talked about his observations in his writings regarding the death