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प्रश्न
Explain how the global transfer of disease in the pre-modern world helped in the colonisation of the Americas.
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उत्तर
The Americas were colonised in the mid-sixteenth century. However, this was not due to the Spanish invaders’ superior military strength. The most powerful weapon of the Spanish conquerors was not a conventional military weapon, but rather the global spread of disease, which aided in the colonisation of the Americas. The Spaniards carried pathogens like smallpox with them to the Americas. Due to their prolonged seclusion, the locals lacked immunity to these diseases.
It resulted in the spread of these diseases across the continent. Smallpox, in particular, murdered and devastated countless civilisations, paving the way for the invasion and colonisation of the Americas. It was not a war. In May 1634, John Winthrop, the first governor of the Massachusetts Bay colony in New England, claimed that smallpox was a sign of God’s blessing for the colonists. He stated that the natives were nearly all dead from smallpox, indicating that the Lord had cleared their title to what they possessed. Thus, weaponry could be purchased or captured and used against invaders, but not illnesses like smallpox, to which the conquerors were usually immune.
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संबंधित प्रश्न
Give two examples of different types of global exchanges which took place before the seventeenth century, choosing one example from Asia and one from the Americas.
America was discovered by ______
Who discovered the vast continent, later known as America?
Why were the Europeans attracted to Africa?
Which was the Tabled city of gold?
What was the use of cowries during the Indus Valley civilization?
Which food traveled west from China to be called Spaghetti?
The smallpox was first brought to America by ______
In the plantations developed in America, the two chief crops grown were ______
The pre-modern world shrank due to the discovery of ______
The pasta was taken by Arab traders to ______
There were three important developments that greatly shrank the pre-modem world. Identify the incorrect one from the following options:
How did the 'small pox' prove as the most powerful weapon of the Spanish conquerors in the mid-sixteenth century? Explain.
Mention any two advantages of the Silk route in the pre-modern trade.
"The most powerful weapon of the Spanish conqueror was not a conventional military weapon at all.” Justify the above statement by giving two reasons.
______ from India and Southeast Asia travelled through ‘Silk Route’ to other parts of the world.
