USA HISTORY

Detailed explanation-1: -When the Europeans arrived, carrying germs which thrived in dense, semi-urban populations, the indigenous people of the Americas were effectively doomed. They had never experienced smallpox, measles or flu before, and the viruses tore through the continent, killing an estimated 90% of Native Americans.

Detailed explanation-2: -If smallpox was severe among the whites, it was devastating to the Native American. Smallpox ultimately killed more Native Americans in the early centuries than any other disease or conflict. 2 It was not unusual for half a tribe to be wiped out; on some occasions, the entire tribe was lost.

Detailed explanation-3: -Many Native American tribes suffered high mortality and depopulation, averaging 25–50% of the tribes’ members dead from disease. Additionally, some smaller tribes neared extinction after facing a severely destructive spread of disease. A specific example was what followed Cortés’ invasion of Mexico.

Detailed explanation-4: -The native people of the Americas, including the Aztecs, were especially vulnerable to smallpox because they’d never been exposed to the virus and thus possessed no natural immunity.

Detailed explanation-5: -It is estimated that the total Native American population of the Americas to be 90-114 million people. About 90% died due to disease with the lowest Native American populations recorded in 1900. The initial 50 years after Columbus’ arrival devastated the populations of the Caribbean and Meso America.