How did so many Indigenous people die of European diseases such as smallpox?
Many Indigenous people died of European diseases such as smallpox due to their lack of immunity to these diseases. When European settlers arrived in the Americas, they brought with them diseases that Indigenous populations had never been exposed to before. As a result, Indigenous people had no natural defenses against these illnesses and were extremely vulnerable to them.
Smallpox, in particular, was highly contagious and deadly, causing widespread devastation among Indigenous populations. The lack of medical knowledge and resources among Indigenous communities also contributed to the high death toll, as there were limited options for treatment or prevention.
Additionally, European settlers often intentionally used disease as a weapon against Indigenous peoples, either through direct exposure or through the deliberate distribution of infected blankets. This intentional spread of disease further contributed to the high mortality rate among Indigenous populations.
Overall, the combination of lack of immunity, limited medical resources, intentional spread of disease, and the highly contagious nature of illnesses like smallpox all played a significant role in the devastation of Indigenous populations by European diseases.