Smallpox
By Samuel Ivy
A Background and the Effects on Europe
A deadly disease since the beginning, Smallpox cases have been linked to death since Egyptians over 3000 years ago. It was a huge contributing factor to the great dying and killed approximately 400,000 people a year alone in Europe. It was a highly effective epidemic which killed approximately 30% of those who encountered it.
Virus
This is an actual diagram of the Virus itself including structure and function of the virus cell.
Exchange
Here is a diagram of the Columbian exchange which includes the deadly exchange of smallpox from Europe.
Great Dying
Finally a population chart of the great dying including the drastic drop smallpox had on the Native population of the New World.
A Critical Component of the Columbian Exchange
A Startling Reality
Initially spread by the Spaniards to the new world, smallpox among many other diseases were spread in the Columbian exchange which was one of the main causes of the Great Dying. Smallpox was transmitted unintentionally by the Spaniards in the 1500's which drastically reduced the size of the native population. This disease worked with a combination of painful sores as well as inflamamtion which leads to sudden death of those who are not immune.