Question

How did the diseases Spanish explorers brought to the Native Americans affect the size of their tribes?

a. Native Americans began to die of old age, decreasing the population.
b. Native Americans grew ill, and thousands died, decreasing the population.
c. Native Americans had cures for the diseases, keeping populations the same.
d. Native Americans stayed healthy, and populations remained constant.

Answer 1

Spanish explorers brought diseases such as smallpox to the Native American populations, leading to a catastrophic decline in their numbers due to a lack of immunity. An estimated 80 percent of the indigenous population perished, with some regions experiencing reductions as drastic as from over a million to just 500 individuals.

Step-by-step explanation:

The diseases that Spanish explorers brought to the Native Americans, like smallpox, influenza, measles, and typhus, had a devastating effect on the size of their tribes. Native Americans had no immunity to these European diseases, and as a result, their populations experienced a massive decline. It is estimated that around 80 percent of the indigenous population of South, Central, and North America died as a result of these diseases, representing an epidemic with few historical comparisons. For example, on the Caribbean island of Hispaniola, the population decreased from over a million to just 500 in just over 50 years after European contact.