Final answer:
The Age of Exploration had a significant impact on indigenous populations in the Americas through the introduction of diseases, resulting in devastating epidemics and long-lasting implications for demographics and culture.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Age of Exploration had a significant impact on indigenous populations in the Americas through the introduction of diseases.
1. Europeans brought diseases like smallpox, typhus, measles, and influenza to which native inhabitants had no immunity. This resulted in devastating epidemics that wiped out a large percentage of the Native American population.
2. The loss of the older generation meant the loss of knowledge and tradition, while the death of children compounded the trauma, creating long-lasting implications.
3. The introduction of diseases had a profound effect on the demographics, culture, and society of the indigenous peoples in the Americas.