United States History Student Edition

B

A View of Smallpox by a Spanish Missionary Native peoples in the Americas were vulnerable to the diseases Europeans brought with them. Among the deadliest was smallpox, a highly infectious disease that some historians estimate killed 20 million native people, including most of the Inca and the Aztec. An early written mention of smallpox comes from a Spanish missionary, Toribio de Benavente, who went to New Spain in 1523. While living in Mexico City, he wrote a book called History of the Indians of New Spain in which he details how he converted native peoples to Christianity. The book also contains a description of a deadly outbreak of smallpox that ravaged the city in the 1520s. PRIMARY SOURCE: DOCUMENT “ [T]here was so much sickness and pestilence among them in the land that in most provinces more than half the people died, whereas in others the number was somewhat smaller. The Indians did not know the remedy against smallpox. Besides, they were accustomed, the healthy and the sick, to bathe frequently; and because they did not cease doing this they died like flies. Many succumbed also to hunger because, as all taking sick at the same time, they were unable to assist one another. There was no one to give them bread or anything else. In many places it happened that all of the same household died. Since it was impossible to bury all the dead . . . their houses were thrown over them and thus their house became their [grave]. ” — from History of the Indians of New Spain by Toribio de Benavente (1541) pestilence a contagious disease remedy a cure EXAMINE THE SOURCE 1. Explaining What reasons does de Benavente give for the death of so many native people? 2. Inferring Why do you think the writer refers to the natives’ habit of bathing frequently as an issue?

C

Aztec Suffering From Smallpox This image comes from the Florentine Codex , a collection of 12 books from 1577. The books, illustrated by native artists, depict Aztec culture, history, and religion. This image shows the devastating effects of smallpox on the Aztec population in Mexico. EXAMINE THE SOURCE 1. Analyzing How is the suffering of the native person depicted in the drawing? 2. Comparing What details in the illustration are supported by the the writings of Toribio de Benavente?

PRIMARY SOURCE: DRAWING

PHOTO: Everett Historical/Shutterstock. TEXT: Motolinia, Torbio (de Benavente); Francis Borgia Steck, ed. and tr. 1951. History of the Indians of New Spain. Washington: Academy of American Franciscan History.

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Exploration and Colonization