How did trade cause new sicknesses to spread to Native Americans?

This question is in reference to the Early Native Americans, ie:Adena, Hopewell Indians, etc.

Comments

  • The Europeans set forth microorganism warfare towards the Natives in an attempt to complete total tribal genocide.

    When the Europeans came they carried many diseases that the Natives did not have any resistance too, as they had never been exposed to these diseases(smallpox, diphtheria, STDs, influenza, etc.) When the Euro-invaders discovered the Natives low tolerance for their sicknesses, they began purposely infecting tribes.

    In an attempt to go forth with the microorganism warfare with later detection by people, they falsely befriended many Native nations and provided them with blankets and handkerchiefs that were intentionally infected with smallpox, diphtheria and other diseases. These evil bastards succeeded in killing off many Natives this way, before they were surprisingly stopped by governmental parties.

    It was a very sneaky and horrible thing that they did...it's sad.

    words cannot define my disgust for this terrible act.

  • Spanish explorers who first came to America (around Christopher Columbus's time) carried illnesses, like syphilis, that the Native Americans had never been exposed to, and thus had no resistance to. When the Spanish conquistadors would pillage Native American villages and rape Native women, they spread these diseases. Millions of Native Americans died as a result, paving the way for more explorers to come to the New World.

  • New sicknesses were spread to the Native Americans because the 'White man' had not encountered them in large numbers before, and because everyone carries germs. These germs from the white man, for which natives had no natural immunity, were transferred to the local populations of natives, who then became seriously ill or, in some cases died.

  • Before there was trade between the indians and forieners there was little contact between the native americans and outsiders. For that reason the native americans did not have need or opportunity for their bodies to develop immunities to the outsiders usual diseases. Small pox is one example. Though it was difficult enough for white people to recover from, it was fatal for most natives. It wiped out whole villages. That is just one example.

  • the "white man" came to trade with native americans. these white men came with new diseases that the natives had never been exposed to and therefor had no immunity to. This helped contribute to widespread sickness

  • The people brought illnesses that the Indians didn't have to deal with. The same reason we have to get shots when we go to different countries, there are different diseaes that they carry, but may not necessarily affect them.

  • Why? What about an Asian, or an Indian, or a Mexican? Why no longer a women folk, a gay guy, Arnold Schwarzenegger? I consider you, that if someone is qualified, their race should not be counted, yet what about all the different dudes?

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