How did the introduction of European diseases impact Native American populations?

The introduction of European diseases had a catastrophic effect on Native American populations primarily because they had no prior exposure or natural immunity to these illnesses. Diseases such as smallpox, influenza, and measles spread rapidly and decimated populations, leading to mortality rates that were often as high as 90% in some communities. The consequences were devastating; entire tribes were wiped out, and many others were severely weakened, unable to sustain their social and political structures in the face of these health crises.

This historical reality highlights the vulnerability of Native American societies to European colonization, as the influx of European settlers, combined with their diseases, dramatically altered the demographic landscape of what is now the United States. The scale of these population decreases severely impacted the ability of Native Americans to resist European encroachment and ultimately contributed to their marginalization and displacement.