The three major consequences of European contact with American Indians lead to the following three major changes:
Introduction of new diseases.
Introduction of new commodities through trade by Europeans.
Introduction of slavery in the native land.
Explanation:
The European explorations of North America during the 1500s lead to the exploration of the continent which was earlier unknown. The European contact with native American Indians spurred significant changes:
The European contact with native American Indians made them exposed to new diseases that Europeans had brought along with themselves.
The Europeans had brought along with themselves trade items and commodities which were new to native American Indians.
This trade resulted in the practice of slavery when the European settlers felt the need of employing man force in order to carry their trade.
Further explanation:
The European contact with native American Indians had spurred tremendous changes in the lives of native American Indians. The natives were exposed to new culture, environment, and practices which altogether influenced the habitat of native American Indians.
The Europeans had carried along with themselves new diseases such as chickenpox, smallpox, influenza and measles. This affected the health of native American Indians as their immune systems could not prevent the effect of such deadly diseases when Europeans were used to it. These illnesses eventually resulted in the death of the major chunk of the native population.
Europeans had brought along with themselves new products and materials of daily use. These caught the attention of the native Americans who started getting fascinated with their products such as metal tools, weapons and clothes. This thus changed the trading pattern of the native population who started becoming dependent on European products.
Another significant change that the European settlement had brought was the practice of slavery where Europeans enslaved the native American Indians to indulge them into laborious tasks in their business and home. This gave rise to the slavery practice in the native land where the Europeans ultimately became bosses to the native population and confined them to inhumane existence.
Learn More:
Why did Columbus called the people he met in America as Indians , Answer by Barbaralazarotto
Characteristics of American Indian prior to contact with Europeans , , Answered by MrDonovan
Keywords:
European exploration, discovery of America, Red Indians, slavery in America, consequences of European contact, Culture of American Indians, consequences of European settlement
