Question

One result of the contact between Europeans and American Indians was the spread of disease. Which statement best describes the effect disease had on European and American Indian populations?

A. The population in Europe drastically declined due to exposure to American Indian diseases.

B. Europeans and American Indians were equally affected by outbreaks of disease in the New World.

C. American Indian populations were decimated by diseases brought by the Europeans.

D. Many Europeans who came to North and South America died from American Indian diseases.

Answer 1

American Indian populations were decimated by diseases brought by the Europeans.

Step-by-step explanation:

The contact between Europeans and American Indians resulted in the spread of diseases such as smallpox, influenza, measles, and typhus. European populations had developed resistance to these diseases over time, but Native Americans had no natural immunity. As a result, up to 90 percent of Native Americans died from infectious diseases after the arrival of Europeans.

For example, the Caribbean island of Hispaniola had over a million people in 1492, but by 1548, only 500 natives were left alive. This drastic population decline was due to the virulent spread of diseases.

Therefore, the statement that best describes the effect of the disease is option C: American Indian populations were decimated by diseases brought by the Europeans.