The effect of illness

"Even though warfare played a role in the decline in Indian populations, the spread of disease often ended the need for battles to take over territory or assert authority." I was astounded when I first read this. This article not only focused on the wars Native Americans were apart of, but how they were effected by illness during their battles. I never knew that although weapons killed many Native Americans, what really murdered them was the Americans indirect weapon: germs. Coming from a differnt environment, the Europeans didn't realize the diseases brought with them would indirectly kill many Native Americans. Realizing this, later in history Americans filled blankets with small pox, giving Native Americans warmth, while also secretly poisoning them. The diseases Native Americans contracted from the foreign Europeans were damaging physically, but also mentally. To be sick brings extended grief onto you and your family, as sickness usually brings with it an "unbearable" effect. Because of this, bringing sickness into the lives of Native Americans was extremely damaging for it effect the moral of Natives Americans across America.




Bowes, John. "Background Essay." American History. ABC-CLIO, 2010. Web. 1 Feb. 2010. .