Question

In the mid-16^th century, diseases like smallpox reached America through which of the following?

Options

• Spanish soldiers

• French merchants

• Portuguese sailors

• British tourists

Answer 1

Spanish soldiers

Explanation:

Historically, Spanish conquistadors and soldiers who arrived in the Americas during the mid-16^th century carried smallpox and other germs on their persons. Because the original inhabitants of America had been isolated for centuries, they had no natural immunity to these European diseases. Smallpox acted as a “deadly weapon” that decimated entire indigenous communities, significantly easing the Spanish conquest of the continent.