How Did Disease Affect Native Americans

European settlers also brought new diseases when they began their exploration of the new world. The Europeans brought smallpox, influenza, measles, chicken pox, and other sicknesses that the Native Americans had no way to fight (Kincheloe 2). The Native Americans had zero resistance to the new diseases since they had never been exposed to them before. While the Europeans’ bodies were able to defend against these diseases, sickness usually ended in fatality for the Native Americans. Neither the European settlers, nor the Native Americans understood what was happening. They couldn’t fathom why the diseases affected the Native Americans so harshly. The spread of disease to the Native Americans was an accident that no one could have seen coming back in the 1500s. According to Kincheloe, an estimated ninety percent of the then Native American population was destroyed by the diseases the Europeans brought to the United States (2).
Diseases were also introduced purposefully by the Europeans’ mission and military institutions. “Anthropologist John C. Ewers has identified no fewer than thirty major epidemics – mainly of smallpox and cholera – between 1528 and 1890 that wiped out [around] ninety-five percent of Texas Indians” (Klos 1). The Caddo Indians were hit hard by smallpox disease as well. During
Windle tells that for a time Lehmann would pray to God, but started praying less and less when he decided that God was for white people (Windle 62). Laura convinces Lehman to come home; however, when Lehmann tries to reintegrate himself into the then modern Texan society, he fails miserably. A huge celebration is put on, including a feast (96). When Lehmann arrives to the celebration, everything that once represented the Indian side of him is gone. His hair was cut short and he was wearing a brand new suit. Lehmann no longer looked like himself