We learned that diseases spread and contributed to the a massive number of deaths. When the Europeans arrived in 1492, 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. These diseases spread from people and animals to the Native Americans. Colonists used diseases both intentionally and accidentally to kill off natives, and as a result drastically changed the social, political, and economic systems of the native’s societies. There was also disease transference from the Americas to Afro-Eurasia in the form of syphilis. We hope visit our online exhibit (right) and learn a great deal about the biological and cultural impact of pathogens and diseases during the Columbian Exchange.
