AboutClaes-Gustaf Nordquist, M.D. Expertise I have a long and intense interest in European and World History. This also includes Military History - especially as I have been a military physician-surgeon for 15 years. I`m also interested in the history of Science, Technology-Engineering, Medicine and Mathematics.
Experience A life long intense interest. But I'm not a professional historian - though the next best thing, an educated VERY interested amateur!
Education/Credentials I'm a Doctor of Medicine, specialist in Medical Oncology, Radiation Therapy and Radiation Protection. But that has no connection to this.
However I do answer such questions too here on AllExperts.com and have done so for a long time. For such questions click on the appropriate link:
Oncology (General Cancer),
Military History,
Brain Tumors,
Breast Cancer,
Colon Cancer
Question QUESTION: Was the wheel used in Native American culture? If so where and how? We are doing a sesquicentennial (150 years) project focusing on Native Americans in Minnesota and this questioned arose. Thanks in advance, it does not have to be in MN but anywhere in Americas. Sharon
ANSWER: Yes wheels are known from Mexican & South American TOYS! Since there were no domesticated animals suitable as draft animals in the Americas wheels had not found any other practical use.
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QUESTION: I know there were no horses, no cows either? Sharon
ANSWER: No no cows. Only lamas (and related species) in Peru, not suitable for this. The Americas had VERY FEW domesticated animals! One of the reasons the natives had not been exposed to all the infectious diseases that the Europeans brought along and which killed off around 90% of the native population - the main reason why the Europeans could take over so easily.
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QUESTION: I wonder if the 90% wasn't due to something else besides disease, like war and plain slaughter. Any idea of the percentages. I know disease was very high, but I think 90% is high. Sharon
Answer No you are wrong! Of course there was war and killing. But compared to the contribution by illnesses those effects were minor. The estimated population of Mexico at the time of arrival of the Spanish was 15 to 20 millions! A few generations later the population was around 1.5 million!
Both the Spanish, Catholic priests and Amerindians themselves commented on this. The major killers were smallpox, chickenpox, measels, typhoid and influenza. This view is now generally accepted. The Americas were "virgin territory" for these illnesses - they had never been there before - with a mortality rate of often more than 90% and often spreading like plagues.
