The decline in the Native American population after European contact was due to the introduction of diseases, forced removals, enslavement, and the depletion of natural resources by European settlers.
The decline in the Native American population in the decades following European contact can be attributed to several factors. The introduction of European diseases, such as smallpox, diphtheria, and measles, to which Native Americans had no immunity, led to widespread death and decimation of tribes. European settlers also coerced Native Americans off their lands, engaged in forced removals, and enslaved them, causing further deaths and displacement. Additionally, the depletion of natural resources and violence against Indigenous peoples by colonizers contributed to depopulation.
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