Disease, Opportunity, and the Spirit of Colonization

This chapter explores the detrimental effects of disease exchange between Europeans and Indigenous North Americans, particularly emphasizing the catastrophic mortality rates among Indigenous populations due to a lack of immunity. It examines the contrasting allure of opportunity in America compared to the pessimism in England, driving many to seek a new life across the Atlantic. Personal narratives of immigration highlight the adventurous spirit and necessity that fueled this migration, shaping the early fabric of American society.