Question

List the reasons given by contemporaries for large-scale deaths and a steep decline in Native American populations after the arrival of Europeans. About which reason(s) is there general agreement?

1) Diseases brought by Europeans
2) Violence and warfare
3) Forced labor and enslavement
4) Loss of land and resources
5) All of the above

Answer 1

Contemporaries listed diseases, violence, forced labor, and loss of land as reasons for large-scale deaths and decline in Native American populations. There is general agreement on 5) all of these reasons.

Step-by-step explanation:

Contemporaries provide several reasons for the large-scale deaths and decline in Native American populations after the arrival of Europeans:

1. Diseases brought by Europeans: The introduction of diseases like smallpox, diphtheria, and measles caused devastating epidemics among the indigenous American tribes who had no immunity to these diseases.
2. Violence and warfare: European settlers engaged in conflicts and wars with Native Americans, leading to significant casualties.
3. Forced labor and enslavement: Native Americans were often enslaved or forced into labor, resulting in high death tolls.
4. Loss of land and resources: The encroachment of European settlers on Native American lands led to displacement, loss of resources, and subsequent deaths.

There is general agreement that 5) all of the above reasons contributed to the large-scale deaths and decline in Native American populations.