European Interaction with Pacific Islands had a Significant Impact

Contact with European warships led to the introduction of diseases that led to the severe depopulation of Pacific island states.

According to a recent study¹, contact with European warships led to the introduction of diseases that severely reduced the population of Pacific island states. The study, which was written up in the Journal of Archaeological Science, shows that population decreases were much more extensive than previously believed.

In fact, the study found that after Eur…