Which accurately describes how the transmission of disease impacted the indigenous people of North and South America?
A.) European explorers transmitted the bubonic plague, decimating the native people of North and South America.
B.)European explorers transmitted yellow fever, decimating the native people of North and South America.
C.)European explorers transmitted meningitis, decimating the native people of North and South America.
D.)European explorers transmitted smallpox, decimating the native people of North and South America.
European explorers transmitted smallpox, decimating the native people of North and South America.
The correct answer is D.) European explorers transmitted smallpox, decimating the native people of North and South America.
To arrive at this answer, we need to understand the historical context. When European explorers first arrived in the Americas, they brought with them various diseases that the indigenous populations had no immunity against. Among these diseases was smallpox, which caused widespread devastation among the native people.
Smallpox is a highly contagious and often deadly disease caused by the variola virus. It spreads from person to person through respiratory droplets, direct contact with infected bodily fluids, or contact with contaminated objects. Its symptoms include high fever, rash, and pustules covering the body, which can lead to severe scarring and even death.
European explorers, unintentionally, became carriers of smallpox and brought it with them to the Americas. As the indigenous populations had no previous exposure to smallpox, they had no immunity or resistance to the disease. This made them extremely susceptible to the infection, resulting in devastating consequences.
The transmission of smallpox rapidly spread throughout North and South America, causing massive outbreaks and epidemics. The native people, lacking the necessary immunity, suffered a disproportionately high mortality rate due to the disease. It is estimated that the smallpox epidemics resulted in the death of millions of indigenous people in the Americas, drastically reducing their population and leaving a lasting impact on their societies and cultures.
In conclusion, the accurate statement is that European explorers transmitted smallpox, which decimated the native people of North and South America.