Christopher Columbus brought measles to the New World. It was a disaster for Native Americans.

San Jose Mercury ^ | May 6, 2019 | Michael S. Rosenwald

[artichokegrower]

In 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue, bringing to the New World a bounty of wonder: coffee, horses, turnips, grapes, wine.

But Columbus and his fellow explorers, in addition to importing crops and animals we now take for granted, were also the Typhoid Marys of their time.

The New World before Columbus: no typhoid, no flu, no smallpox, no measles.

The New World after Columbus: epidemics of death.

[ExTxMarine]

He was stunned for a moment and then made the claim that the Native Americans would have caught up in these area if given enough time.

I think if you look at the middle east and several other countries around the world, his statement is more about being boastful than truthful!

There are countries and ideologies around the world that still, to this day, refuse to change their "culture" or adopt modern technology and teachings. Many of these culture-driven areas and regions refuse to even try improvements that are offered freely (without the Empirical expansion requirements).

[Joe Boucher]

500 freaken years ago.
Get over it already.
Move the hell on.
Get a life.

[RightGeek]

Charles C. Mann has written some good books on the subject. Here’s a long article of his about Thanksgiving - https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/native-intelligence-109314481/

[beef]

More fake news. Oppression by Europeans is no different than any other except that they had the means and the inclination to document it.

[PeterPrinciple]

Equestrian nomads of the Great Plains of North America in the 19th century seemed to enjoy excellent health, near the top of the index. They were not fenced in to farms or cities.

---

From your article. And WHO brought the horse to North America?

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

***Native Americans would have caught up in these area if given enough time.****

It would have taken at least 6500 years as 7000 years ago Northern Europe was still in the Stone age.

On the other hand, it probably would have taken the Australian Aborigines at least 10,000 years to catch up. From what I read fifty years ago, the Tasmanians were far behind the American Indians.

[Nifster]

The claim that there were no diseases before Europeans clams to the new world is unprovable

[ExTxMarine]

What’s the practical difference between noble savages and savage nobles?

In the words of the mental magician and all-knowing Alexandria "Sandy" Occasionally-Coherent (AOC), "Under capitalism, man exploits man. Under communism, it's just the opposite."

[goodnesswins]

That’s what open borders gets ya! /s

[beef]

“Christopher Columbus had no idea what caused measles.”

They make it sound like coordinated biological warfare.

[The Sons of Liberty]

Christopher Columbus brought measles to the New World. It was a disaster for Native Americans.

Why doe no one ever point out that the "Natives" sent back tobacco, which has probably killed more than all diseases combined?

[null and void]

If you think Columbus was a terrible person, you can still appreciate the magnitude of the columbian exchange.

Imagine Italian food with no tomatoes, no potatoes, no beans, no chocolate, no squash, no corn, or no peppers.

Just what did the Romans eat???

[null and void]

It’s a wonderful read, I think you will enjoy it!

[Vermont Lt]

Seems to me that the real problem arose in the early 1500’s when the Spaniards invaded Mexico along with their “priests” who had no problem being all rapey with the native women.

New diseases could not have been avoided.

Just look at the Spanish flu from the US in 1917-18.

( I see a common “Spain” thread here.... //Sarc)

[ExTxMarine]

They make it sound like coordinated biological warfare.

Sadly, that is exactly how it is equated in our modern textbooks. They throw this stuff out there, without any type of underlying context. When I went to school, I had to learn biology and science that talked about how were still blood-letting as the primary cure for a common cold in the 1800's! Meaning, that we did not comprehend the basic common cold in the 1800's!

But, some how Christopher Columbus was supposed to know and understand that he PURPOSEFULLY took bad diseases to the new world in 1492! LOL!

The destruction of American heroes is nothing by a rewriting our of history; an ugly, purposeful knockdown and disassembling of the American exceptionalism that we were taught when we were children! It is designed to make future Americans hate their own country, so that the new "brilliant thinkers" can build a better, newer world and Constitution! If we continue to think of our past, origins and founders as great and awesome, then we will NEVER think that we should change EVERYTHING they ever did! The new Liberal Leftists do not want to "tweek" our Constitution. They want to DESTROY IT and start anew from THEIR think tanks! Hell, Ruth Ginsburg even said so!

[rey]

Yes. Good book but Diamond is a whack job liberal.

[null and void]

Just a thought, a forty day sea voyage is little different from a forty day quarantine.

What diseases could they have brought in a ten hour flight?

Paging Ebola Nurse Kaci Hickox...

[Deplorable American1776]

The moron who wrote that crap in the paper should get a prize for best fictional crap in newspapers...

[Mrs. Don-o]

Yeah, the way I heard it (and you can attribute this to AOC):

"Under capitalism it's dog-eat-dog. Under socialism it's the other way around."

[null and void]

Even a blind squirrel will sometimes find an acorn...