Stephen Zimmerman Mexico, Central and South America Smallpox in Central America began in the early 1500s around

the Caribbean island, Hispaniola in 1507. This was considered the first occurrence of smallpox in the Western Hemisphere (The History of Smallpox). However this occurrence spawned a huge onslaught of epidemics across Mexico and Central America starting with the Caribbean islands. This was mainly attributed to the slave trade. As colonies were established in the Caribbean, slaves were brought over to begin mining the materials in 1503. During several years of mining and cultivating very small cases of smallpox appeared until 1517 when the African slaves had a major outbreak. This quickly spread across the island as well as Cuba and Puerto Rico by 1519, killing over half of the native population (The History of Smallpox). During 1519 Hernan Cortez sailed from Cuba to Mexico with a group of his followers. To make sure that Cortez was brought back to Cuba the Governor of Cuba sent another Spanish army under Narvaez to make sure Cortez returned either dead or alive. In Narvaezs group was an African Slave who had contracted smallpox. With this the epidemic of smallpox finally reached Mexico and Central America. First Exhibit (An African slave with Smallpox) The main contributing factor that leads to the outbreak of smallpox in Mexico, and the surrounding areas, was the transportation of an African slave by Pnfilo de Narvaez. Narvaez was sent by the Governor of Cuba to retrieve Hernan Cortez either dead or alive after he left Cuba for Mexico. However traveling with Narvaez was an African slave who had contracted the smallpox disease. When Cortez found out Narvaezs agenda and that he had landed, he confronted Cortez and quickly defeated him. After defeating the army of Narvaez one of Cortezs men contracted the small pox disease. This disease quickly spread throughout the whole

population of natives and without resistance to the disease and no idea how to treat it many perished and died. This result was described by a Spanish friar who arrived in Mexico in 1525: ". . . at the time that Captain Panfilo de Narvaez landed in this country, there was in one of his ships a negro stricken with smallpox, a disease which had never been seen here. At this time New Spain was extremely full of people, and when the smallpox began to attack the Indians it became so great a pestilence among them throughout the land that in most provinces more than half the population died; in others the proportion was little less (History of Smallpox). This was indeed a tragic event that helped shape the history of the Americas. With this new outbreak of disease killing off the natives of the surrounding areas, many settlers were able to come in and easily over throw the civilizations that had been flourishing there for hundreds of years. You could very easily say that without Narvaezs single contaminated slave the course of history would be completely different. Second Exhibit (Aztec Symbol) One of the most predominate civilizations in Mexico and Central America was the Aztec Empire with almost 8 million inhabitants. However, as strong and numerous as they were, they could not stand up to one weapon that the Spanish brought with them during their exploration. This weapon even unknown to the Spanish was smallpox. This horrendous disease had a mortality rate around 38.5% for the Aztec Empire (Halverson). This disease which was untreatable by the Aztecs killed off nearly 25% of the empire sometimes killing whole families at a time (The Fall of the Aztec Empire). The disease was so tragic that many who died had their houses collapsed over their bodies to create graves and control the odor. The main cause or reason for the outbreak is due to the disputes between the Aztecs and Cortez. After one of Cortezs men contracted the disease from and engagement with another

Spanish army, they then began their raid on the Aztecs. The Aztec army quickly defeated and overwhelmed Cortezs men killing many and forcing the rest to retreat. However the soldier who contracted smallpox was killed and the disease was most likely transferred when his body was either looted or inspected by the Aztec army. This caused an outbreak of smallpox throughout the entire empire and resulted in their defeat by Cortez. This was due to the fact that the disease destroyed the chain of command for the Aztecs. Cuitlahuac the emperor of the time died due to smallpox along with many of the leaders of his army (The Fall of the Aztec Empire). This created a gap in the army and allowed Cortez to easily conquer the Aztecs with fewer than 900 men. It is easily said that without the help of smallpox, Cortez and his band of 900 men would not have been as easily able to over throw the Aztec Empire if at all. Third Exhibit (Incan symbol) The Inca Empire consisting of around 6 million inhabitants were a proud and prosperous people. However, the Spaniards decided on further explorations into the south after hearing of the riches that the Inca Empire possessed. A man by the name of Francisco Pizarro, arrived in Peru to confront the Incan Empire in 1532, but had found that smallpox was already decimating the native population in South America. His intent on conquering the Inca Empire was helped by the outbreak of civil war, instigated by the destruction of smallpox, which caused the death of the Inca Emperor Huayna Capac (Dunnell). The emperors two son fought for the right to be the next emperor, and with that, brought great separation within the Inca population. Within a few years smallpox spread rapidly claiming between 60% and 90% of the Inca population. (Allicinfacts). Pizarro made use of the calamity brought forth by the disease and quickly over ran the Inca with the use of his horses and modern weaponry. He marched into Cuzco with a small band of militia and easily overran the Inca and their capital city.

Without the help of smallpox it is very likely that Pizarro would not have been able to conquer the Inca so easily. The fear that smallpox brought forth upon the nation of natives greatly weakened and terrorized the empire. In the following thirty years the Inca population reduced to as low as one fourth its population. The tides of change brought forth by this horrific disease spawned a new era and changed to course of history.