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Difficulty: EasyThe Columbian Exchange

Source: Hernando de Soto's chronicler, the Gentleman of Elvas, describing the expedition through the Southeast, 1557.

'In this town, there was a great pestilence... and the Indians told the Governor that in the province of Coça, which lay ahead, there was a great abundance of food... The plague had desolated the land, and the people had fled to the woods, leaving the towns empty.'

Which of the following was the primary cause of the 'pestilence' described in the excerpt?

  1. A
    The resettlement of Native Americans into Spanish mission towns to work under the encomienda system
  2. The introduction of Old World diseases to Native American populations with no prior exposureAnswer
  3. C
    The transmission of New World pathogens like smallpox to European expeditions
  4. D
    The pre-existing lack of biological diversity among Native American groups due to their lack of regional distinction

Answer

The introduction of Old World diseases to Native American populations with no prior exposure
The correct answer identifies the introduction of Old World diseases to Native American populations with no prior exposure. During the Columbian Exchange, pathogens such as smallpox, measles, and influenza were carried from Europe to the Americas. Because Native Americans had been isolated from Afro-Eurasian disease pools, they lacked immunities, leading to catastrophic mortality rates.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the stimulus to identify the key historical event and its characteristics.
The text describes a 'pestilence' or plague that desolated towns in the Southeast during Hernando de Soto's expedition in the mid-16th century.
Understanding the context of early Spanish exploration and contact is necessary to identify the cause of Native American depopulation.
2
Apply knowledge of the Columbian Exchange to determine the cause of the disease outbreak.
The Columbian Exchange led to the transfer of Old World pathogens (such as smallpox, influenza, and measles) to the New World, where indigenous populations had no immunohistory.
This explains the rapid spread and high mortality rates of the diseases described as a 'pestilence'.
3
Evaluate the options to identify the correct option and eliminate distractors.
The correct option is the introduction of Old World diseases, while other options misrepresent either the direction of the exchange flow, the nature of the encomienda system, or indigenous diversity.
This completes the selection of the most historically accurate explanation.

Key Concept

The Columbian Exchange and demographic collapse
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Topics

The Columbian Exchange

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