chaos the Spaniards brought the Indians they en-
countered Christianity. Although missionary priests
often declared impressive numbers of converts, the
Indians who were said to have embraced Christianity
more likely did not understand foreign rituals such
as baptism or went along with them only to placate
the invaders, all the while continuing to observe their
own religious traditions.
Much more welcome than Christianity were the
goods non-Indians brought with them from Europe.
Items manufactured from metal were particularly
treasured. Aside from their novelty, these objects
were much more durable than those Indians made
themselves from clay or stone. In the Southwest, In-
dians also almost immediately integrated into their
culture the strange, new animals introduced to them
by the Spanish. Sheep and hogs were important new
food sources, but most influential was the horse. The
horse allowed a rider to travel long distances in a far
shorter period than Indians previously could have
imagined. The animal’s introduction would change
the lives of Indians throughout the continent, but its
greatest effect would be felt on the Great Plains. The
horse would redefine Indian cultures in the region by
turning settled farmers and gatherers into mounted
hunters whose days were spent following the great
buffalo herds.
Yet overwhelmingly the most important and
tragic consequence of early contact was the spread
of epidemic disease. Everyday European diseases
such as smallpox, measles, and influenza had pre-
viously been unknown in the Americas; therefore,
the native population had no natural immunities
to them. When exposed to these germs for the first
time, Indian villages were devastated as illness deci-
mated their populations. In addition to the diseases
themselves, survivors were often faced with famine
as the epidemics disrupted their ability to replenish
their food supplies. Among some Indian groups as
many as 90 percent died within years of exposure to
foreign germs.
The horrors of epidemic disease perhaps played
the greatest role in determining the future of Indian
peoples. Non-Indian germs spread to many Indian
groups even before they first encountered whites. By
the time of first contact, their populations and so-
cieties therefore had already suffered the impact of
epidemics. Had Indians not been so weakened by dis-
ease, they perhaps would have been better able and
more inclined to drive away non-Indian invaders by
force. Instead, though initially low in numbers, non-
Indians were able to use their biological advantage
and their superior weaponry to compel Indians to ac-
cept their presence, whether welcome or not.1492 to 1606