Colonialists' Impact on Native Americans' Death Rates
In a groundbreaking investigation, researchers from the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California (USC), the University of Florida, and Indiana University have presented historical and bioarchaeological evidence supporting the late onset of post-Columbian epidemics in Native California. The study, titled "Historic and bioarchaeological evidence supports late onset of post-Columbian epidemics in Native California," was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
The research, led by Terry L. Jones of California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA, and Brian Codding of the University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, analysed age-at-death records of 33,715 Indigenous people who lived in central California between 3050 BCE and 1870 CE. The data included 10,256 records from excavated human burial sites and 23,459 records created by missionaries from Spain.
From 1770 CE to 1800 CE, Indigenous populations in central California exhibited a mortality profile similar to that of populations experiencing an epidemic plague. During this period, Spanish settlers established permanent settlements and missions in the region, leading to sustained contact with Indigenous people.
The study's findings suggest that extreme social disruption, including increased violence, enslavement, and food insecurity, caused by Spanish settlers increased the vulnerability of Indigenous people to disease. This vulnerability is evident in the mortality records, which show that more females than males died near Spanish missions.
For further information, Terry L. Jones can be contacted at tel: 805-235-6621, email: [redacted], while Brian F. Codding can be reached at tel: 801-581-8663, email: [redacted]. The study's findings support the theory of a late onset of post-Columbian epidemics in Native California, offering valuable insights into the impact of European colonisation on Indigenous populations.
