The microscopic settler: smallpox dissemination in the context of european New World exploration

Gabrielle Legnaghi de Almeida; Christian Fausto Moraes dos Santos

doi:10.5007/2175-7976.2025.e101292

Authors

Gabrielle Legnaghi de Almeida Universidade Estadual de Maringá https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3253-1602
Christian Fausto Moraes dos Santos Universidade Estadual de Maringá https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7537-4547

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5007/2175-7976.2025.e101292

Keywords:

History of Science, Spanish America, Colonization

Abstract

The beginning of colonization in Spanish America is closely linked to biological and historical factors. From the moment the first Europeans landed in the Caribbean and interacted with the natives, biological differences were established, which were crucial for the beginning of one of the greatest episodes of demographic decline ever experienced by humanity. From the perspective of the History of Science, we seek to analyze the Spanish invasion of Mexican and Caribbean territory in an interdisciplinary way, by surveying written and pictorial documentary sources that express the impact of smallpox on high indigenous mortality rates. Once separated, Europe and America collided in one of the first global-scale events in history.

KEY WORDS: History of Science; Spanish America; Colonization.

Author Biographies

Gabrielle Legnaghi de Almeida, Universidade Estadual de Maringá

Gabrielle Legnaghi de Almeida has a degree in History from the State University of Maringá (UEM) since 2020 and a master's degree in History from the Postgraduate Program in History (PPH-UEM) of the same institution, completed in 2022. Since 2017, she has been linked to the Laboratory of History, Science and Environment (LCH/UEM), where she develops academic activities and research. She has experience in the area of History of Sciences, with a focus on the History of Health Sciences and Natural History based on the colonization processes of Spanish America, Portuguese America and Dutch Brazil. She is currently a doctoral student at PPH-UEM, a scholarship holder from the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES), and is part of the project team funded by the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq).

Christian Fausto Moraes dos Santos , Universidade Estadual de Maringá

Christian Fausto Moraes dos Santos is a CNPq productivity fellow in the area of History of Sciences, has a Post-Doctorate in History of Sciences from the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas de Barcelona (CSIC) Spain in 2015, Post-Doctorate in History of Culture from the Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG) Brazil in 2008, Doctorate in Sciences, History of Sciences sub-area from the Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ) Brazil and from the Institute of Instituto de Estudos do Além-Mar in Portugal in 2005, Master's degree in Geography, History of Sciences sub-area from the Universidade Estadual de Maringá (UEM) Brazil in 2002 and a degree in History from the State University of Maringá (UEM) Brazil in 1998. He is currently an associate professor at the Universidade Estadual de Maringá, working on the Undergraduate, Master's and Doctorate courses in History Departament. He is an ad-hoc consultant for the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) and the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq), the two main government bodies funding scientific research in Brazil. He is also a reviewer for the academic journals Delaware Review of Latin American Studies, História, Ciências Saúde Manguinhos, Varia Historia. He is coordinator of the Laboratório de História, Ciências e Ambiente (History, Sciences and Environment Laboratory) at the Universidade Estadual de Maringá. He has experience in the areas of History of Science, working on the following themes: History of Natural Sciences, History of Health Sciences and History of Food in the New World (Portuguese America and Spanish America). He has published 56 articles in academic journals, 03 books and 24 chapters in academic books. He completed the supervision of 25 Scientific Initiations (undergraduate), 15 Master's theses and 03 Doctoral theses. He currently supervises 03 Master's theses and 04 Doctoral theses. It is important to highlight that 07 of its Master's students were approved in the selection program for Full Doctorates Abroad in Portugal and Spain with full scholarships granted by the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES). He is currently the coordinator of an international research project funded by CAPES that has the collaboration of researchers from Universities and Research Centers in Mexico and Chile.

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