The Myth of "The Empty Continents"

I've been reading the book 1491 and 1493 by Charles Mann. The indicate great scholarly study in research. Footnotes are excellent and do not seem to have been selectively quoted or included.

I had always known that the effects of European disease on the natives of the Americas were tremendous. What I hadn't realized is how tremendous.

We tend to cringe at the devastation of the bubonic plague in Europe. Generally, 1/3 of the population, 33 of every 100 people were killed in the first wave. The second wave claimed more lives.

European pathogens preceded colonists by about 5 years. An area would be "discovered", mapped and minimally explored. Europeans had been fishing off the east coast of North America for years. Animals that were brought, especially pigs, escaped and carried trans-specific diseases with them (most animal pathogens are not necessarily dangerous to humans, but pigs in particular are a great source of trans-specific infection). Just considering smallpox and malaria millions died from exposure. It seems that native immune systems were extremely susceptible to bacterial and viral infections, but held up much better than Europeans for parasite infection.

The story of Tisquantum (we teach his name as Squanto, but in American History, but that was derogatory nickname given by Massasoit) can illustrate what happened. When he was originally kidnapped and enslaved, Europeans described the coastline as a continuous blaze of camp fires. He was from the Patuxet area (now Rhode Island). At some point, he was able to get transported back with a fishing trip as far as Newfoundland, but wouldn't venture over land for fear of the huge population of unfriendly tribes. The captain was unwilling to sail further south and risk poorer weather on the North Atlantic. Five years later, when he was able to return to Newfoundland again, he decided to take his chances. Where there once had been villages a series of camps, villages and structures that were empty. Great funeral mounds and piles of skeletons were everywhere. Many were left laying down where they awaited their last minutes. Recent art showed people with huge sores all over their bodies, characteristic of smallpox.

It is estimated now that as much as 95% of inhabitants of the Americas were killed by European disease. Coastal natives had moved inland to escape the death, carrying the pathogens with them. In a great many places 100% of the population was killed. Similar histories were written about the Aztecs and the Inca, but are only recently being mentioned if taught at all. The Spanish and English colonists viewed this as God's statement that the Americas were destined to become the property of the Europeans.

In the saga of Guns, Germs and Steel it is the germs that were most powerful and devastating.   Imagine a life where in five years 95% or your family, your friends and your neighbors died a horrible, unstoppable death. 95%.