Question

Think back to when Europeans brought disease to the Americas. What was the outcome of that exchange? Why did that exchange differ from European experiences with diseases in Africa?

Answer 1

The exchange of diseases between Europeans and Native Americans in the Americas resulted in the devastating loss of about 80 percent of the native population. This differed from European experiences with diseases in Africa because Europeans had developed resistance to many infectious diseases, while the Native Americans had no natural resistance.

Step-by-step explanation:

The outcome of the exchange of diseases between Europeans and Native Americans in the Americas was devastating for the native population. As a result of interaction with Europeans who carried diseases such as measles and smallpox, about 80 percent of the native population died. The Europeans, on the other hand, contracted syphilis in return.

This exchange differed from European experiences with diseases in Africa because over the centuries, Europeans had developed resistance to many infectious diseases. However, the Native Americans had no natural resistance to the European diseases, leading to epidemics that completely devastated their populations.