History glossary

smallpox

a deadly infectious disease that devastated populations without prior immunity in the early modern Americas.

Category: Disease
Region: Global
Date range: Varies

What it means

A deadly infectious disease that devastated populations without prior immunity in the early modern Americas.

Stories using this term

The Age of Exploration

An era of exploration and empire linking continents through trade, conquest, and cultural exchange.

The Aztec Empire

From migrants to empire, the Aztecs built a powerful civilisation before collapsing after Spanish conquest.

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