this post was submitted on 20 Dec 2023
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Did Europeans intentionally infect North American Natives with smallpox/disease? (lemmy.ca)
submitted 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) by rab@lemmy.ca to c/history@lemmy.world
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https://haidagwaiipledge.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Final-Draft-HG-Visitor-Orientation.pdf

I'm reading the haida gwaii visitor orientation, under section 2.b.i., Disease and Decimation

"Our oral records of the intentional introduction of smallpox have been reaffirmed in Tom Swankey’s recent publications, including work that has been vetted by the Haida Nation. Through evidence found in captains' logs and journals of government officials such as Francis Poole and James Douglas, this disease outbreak has been confirmed as an act of biological warfare."

My understanding was always that back then, disease wasn't well understood, and that the first european explorers especially to haida gwaii did not realize they carried disease and by the time they made contact it the damage was already done. Both parties were merely interested in trading, and disease inadvertently spread, at least that is what I thought.

I tried finding the captains logs they mention but my search came up empty.

Can any experts here weigh in?

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[–] spacecowboy@sh.itjust.works 7 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (1 children)

I don’t know where yall are from but my schooling in Canada taught this as fact. I don’t recall specifics since it was so long ago so I have nothing to back that claim up.

I was unaware that this was not a known thing. Indigenous Americans were treated abysmally by the people who invaded and stole their land.

[–] rab@lemmy.ca 2 points 10 months ago

I'm Canadian too and of course natives were treated deplorably, that's no secret

I am just skeptical that early explorers would be hellbent on spreading disease, when their priorities were to map the globe and bring home pelts