Answer to Question #181048 in History for Charne Archer

Question

WHAT IS THE MAIN ARGUMENT OF THE HISTORIAN ROBERT ROSS ABOUT THE IMPACT OF THE SMALLPOX EPIDEMIC OF 1713 ON THE KHOEKHOE?

1. FROM THE POPULATION STATISTICS BEFORE AND AFTER THE SMALLPOX EPIDEMIC, IT IS CLEAR THAT THE RURAL AREAS OF THE CAPE WERE MORE SEVERELY AFFECTED THAN CAPE TOWN
2. DISEASE AFFECTING CATTLE AND THE LOSS OF LAND, RATHER THAN SMALLPOX, WERE ULTIMATELY THE MOST SIGNIFICANT FACTORS IN THE KHOEKHOE'S LOSS OF INDEPENDENCE IN THE SOUTHWESTERN CAPE
3. BECAUSE SMALLPOX CLAIMED ABOUT 30% OF THE KHOEKHOE POPULATION, THIS GREAT LOSS OF LIFE MEANT THAT IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE FOR KHOEKHOE SOCIETY TO RECOVER ITS FORMER STRENGTH
4. THERE IS CONSIDERABLE EVIDENCE THAT SHOWS THAT WHITE PEOPLE TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THE WEAKENED STATE OF THE KHOEKHOE AFTER THE SMALLPOX EPIDEMIC AND CONDUCTED EXTENSIVE RAIDS ON THEIR CATTLE

Answer 1

2. DISEASE AFFECTING CATTLE AND THE LOSS OF LAND, RATHER THAN SMALLPOX, WERE ULTIMATELY THE MOST SIGNIFICANT FACTORS IN THE KHOEKHOE'S LOSS OF INDEPENDENCE IN THE SOUTHWESTERN CAPE