So we have this concept of the Colombian exchange, where different things were traded when the two worlds met, including diseases. But it seems like you always hear about the europeans bringing diseases that destroyed the Natives, wiping out entire villages and peoples. Why were there no diseases like that (say smallpox for example) in the opposite direction?
Hi! Not discouraging others from contributing here, but fyi, we've got a few good threads on this topic in the FAQ that can get you started:
I am a native american living in the 1600s, someone in my village has just contracted small pox. What happens next? by /u/anthropology_nerd
When Europeans brought diseases to the new world, how come Europeans themselves didn't get sick from diseases specific to the new world? by /u/anthropology_nerd
Why weren't European settlers in North America decimated by disease like the native populations? by /u/400-Rabbits