Question

What was the impact of European colonization on Native Americans? Give at least two examples. (Make sure to use full sentences and cite evidence.)

Answer 1

European colonization had both positive and negative impacts on Native Americans.

Positive

One of the positive elements of European colonization was the introduction of new crops from Europe to Native American tribes. Thanks to the Columbian Exchange, Native Americans had the ability to gain resources such as pig, sheep, cows, and bananas.

Negative

One of the negative elements of European colonization was the decimation of the Native American population. When Europeans came to North America, they brought over diseases that Native American tribes had never encountered. This negatively effected them, as they had no immunity to these diseases. This resulted in the deaths of millions of Native Americans throughout the 16th and 17th centuries.