Controversial Demographic Disaster of American Indigenous Population

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The annihilation of American Indigenous Population had an impact in early 17th century. The main reason behind this disaster was Smallpox. A deadly virus named Variola virus, causes smallpox. According to World Health Organization (WHO), Smallpox is a contagious disease caused by Variola virus. It was, and still is one of the world's most feared diseases. Smallpox is one of the deadliest diseases of this world. This disease is spread very fast by air. There are high chances that, any person near smallpox affected person, will get smallpox. This diseases DNA is so complex that, still now there is no treatment or cure for smallpox. At the beginning of new age, many people die because they neither had treatment nor a strong immunity system. Not only smallpox but also various widespread epidemic diseases and infections almost wiped out American indigenous population, the origin and spread is known to people, but its definite causes are controversial.
The origins of smallpox in new world began through Colombian exchange. Originally Smallpox was first found in Egypt. According to Proceedings of the National Academy of Science of the United States of America (PNAS), “Observations of smallpox-typical skin rashes on Egyptian mummies dating from 1100 to 1580 B.C.” (Moss, “On the Origin”). Smallpox was first experienced in Egyptian mummies in approximately in 1100B.C. Originated from Egypt, consequently spread in a numerous places. This disease is a viral infection that enters in through someone’s nose or throat. It is very contagious, and once the infection gets into the body, the virus will move to the lungs. As a result the person will die. It is a deadly disease which aims to kill fast. Basically after 1492 when Columbus came to Americ...

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...n Indian Heritage Foundation or Indians, n.d. Web. 14 Apr. 2014.
.Mayo Clinic Staff. "Smallpox." Definition. N.p., n.d. Web. 2 Apr. 2014.
McNeill, J.R. "5.1 The Columbian Exchange." The Columbian Exchange. North Carolina Digital History, 2008. Web. 13 Apr. 2014.
Moss, Bernard. "On the Origin of Smallpox: Correlating Variola Phylogenics with Historical Smallpox Records." On the Origin of Smallpox: Correlating Variola Phylogenics with Historical Smallpox Records. National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, 15 Aug. 2007. Web. 2 Apr. 2014.
"Smallpox." WHO. N.p., n.d. Web. 2 Apr. 2014.
"Smallpox Disease Overview." CDC Smallpox. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, n.d. Web. 2 Apr. 2014.
Stearns, Peter N., Michael Adas, Stuart B. Schwartz, and Marc Jason Gilbert. World Civilizations: The Global Experience. 6th. Vol. Combined. Upper Saddle River: Pearson, 2011. Print.

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