Final answer:
The claim that only 50,000 natives remained on Hispaniola 20 years after Columbus's arrival is false; the population was significantly reduced mainly due to disease, which killed an estimated 90% of the native population. The statement that natives were primarily killed by European weapons is also false, with disease being the primary cause of the massive population decline.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that only 50,000 natives remained on Hispaniola 20 years after Columbus's arrival is false. Historical evidence and accounts, such as those from Bartolomé de las Casas, indicate that the native Taíno population experienced a drastic decline due to a combination of factors including European diseases, to which they had no immunity, as well as harsh enslavement and violent acts by the Spanish conquerors. While some Taíno were deliberately killed or died from ill-treatment and overwork, the vast majority succumbed to diseases such as smallpox and measles. By 1514, only about 32,000 of the original several hundred thousand Taíno remained on Hispaniola.
In terms of the question regarding the majority of deaths during the exploration period, the statement that the natives were primarily slaughtered by Europeans because of their superior weapons is false. Although many natives were killed due to violent confrontations and cruelty, it was diseases brought by the Europeans that were responsible for the overwhelming number of deaths, decimating up to 90% of the native population in some areas. The Amerindian population did not have any immunity to these new diseases, which proved to be far deadlier than any weapon.