What Were the Effects of the Contact Between Europeans and North Americans?
Lisa Huang
Mr. Birtwell
U.S History Honors
November, 26th, 2012
What were the effects of the contact between Europeans and North Americans? Ever since 1485, Christopher Columbus, an explorer from Italy, began to vigorously look for sponsor for his voyage. He presented his idea of sailing to the Atlantic and into mysterious Asia to John II, King of Portugal. Yet, he was interested in his plan. John II and the royalties thought the plan was unfavorable and unrealistic. When Columbus was about to give up, the queen of Spain, Queen Isabella, offered her assistance. Columbus and Queen Isabella later signed a treaty called Capitulations of Santa Fe, stating that the new lands Columbus could claim for Spain would belong to him. In return, he should bring back gold, pearls, and spice. In 1492,Christopher Columbus and his three ships- the Nina, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria, arrived on the shores of San Salvador in the Caribbean. Lacking knowledge of geography, he believed that he had reached India but which was actually North America.(Livingston, 2010) However, after Columbus’ arrival in the Americas, the animal, plant, people, and bacterial life of these two worlds began to mix up. The arrival of Columbus brought wars, slavary and forced labor, the spreading of diseases caused at least 5 million deaths even worse.The contact between Europeans and North Americans brought Natives catastrophes and devastation that Europeans could never make up. Most importantly, the hidden disease brought by the Europeans caused massive amount of Natives to die. As the Spain, French, and English explorers came to America, diseases like small pox, malaria, chicken pox, influenza, measles, and yellow fever, the diseases that once killers that killed a great deal of Europeans, were brought to the new lands too. (Walbert)Which were later called as “ The gift from Old to New Worlds”.(Kincheloe, 2007) As time passed, the Europeans were used to these diseases and gained immunity against
Mr. Birtwell
U.S History Honors
November, 26th, 2012
What were the effects of the contact between Europeans and North Americans? Ever since 1485, Christopher Columbus, an explorer from Italy, began to vigorously look for sponsor for his voyage. He presented his idea of sailing to the Atlantic and into mysterious Asia to John II, King of Portugal. Yet, he was interested in his plan. John II and the royalties thought the plan was unfavorable and unrealistic. When Columbus was about to give up, the queen of Spain, Queen Isabella, offered her assistance. Columbus and Queen Isabella later signed a treaty called Capitulations of Santa Fe, stating that the new lands Columbus could claim for Spain would belong to him. In return, he should bring back gold, pearls, and spice. In 1492,Christopher Columbus and his three ships- the Nina, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria, arrived on the shores of San Salvador in the Caribbean. Lacking knowledge of geography, he believed that he had reached India but which was actually North America.(Livingston, 2010) However, after Columbus’ arrival in the Americas, the animal, plant, people, and bacterial life of these two worlds began to mix up. The arrival of Columbus brought wars, slavary and forced labor, the spreading of diseases caused at least 5 million deaths even worse.The contact between Europeans and North Americans brought Natives catastrophes and devastation that Europeans could never make up. Most importantly, the hidden disease brought by the Europeans caused massive amount of Natives to die. As the Spain, French, and English explorers came to America, diseases like small pox, malaria, chicken pox, influenza, measles, and yellow fever, the diseases that once killers that killed a great deal of Europeans, were brought to the new lands too. (Walbert)Which were later called as “ The gift from Old to New Worlds”.(Kincheloe, 2007) As time passed, the Europeans were used to these diseases and gained immunity against
Cited: "GENOCIDE OF NATIVE AMERICANS." GENOCIDE OF NATIVE AMERICANS. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Nov. 2012. . Kincheloe, John W. "American Indians at European Contact." NCpedia Home Page. NC Pedia, 1 Jan. 2007. Web. 23 Nov. 2012. . Lawrence, Calvin, Jr. "Columbus Day 2012: Hero, Villain or Both?" ABC News. ABC News Network, 08 Oct. 2012. Web. 23 Nov. 2012. . Livingston, Deborah. "Impact of European Imperialism on Native American Indian Nations." All Articles RSS. Knoji, 12 July 2010. Web. 23 Nov. 2012. . "Pequot War." Pequot War. United States History, n.d. Web. 23 Nov. 2012. . "Slavery among Native Americans in the United States." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 23 Nov. 2012. . Walbert, David. "5.3 Disease and Catastrophe." Disease and Catastrophe. Learn NC, n.d. Web. 23 Nov. 2012. .