Beginning in 1609, Jesuit missionaries established missions (reductions) among sedentary and non-sedentary native populations in the larger region defined as the Province of Paraguay (Rio de la Plata region, eastern Bolivia). One consequence of resettlement on the missions was exposure to highly contagious old world crowd diseases such as smallpox and measles. Epidemics that occurred about once a generation killed thousands. Despite severe mortality crises such as epidemics, warfare, and famine, the native populations living on the missions recovered. An analysis of the effects of epidemics and demographic patterns shows that the native populations living on the Paraguay and Chiquitos missions survived and retained a unique ethnic identity. A comparative approach that considers demographic patterns among other mission populations place the case study of the Paraguay and Chiquitos missions into context, and show how patterns on the Paraguay and Chiquitos missions differed from other mission populations. The findings challenge generally held assumptions about Native American historical demography.
General Editors Foreword
List of Illustrations
List of Maps
List of Figures
List of Tables
Chapter 1: Introduction
Chapter 2: Managing the Missions and Social-Cultural Change
Chapter 3: Smallpox Epidemics and Smallpox Treatment
Chapter 4: Demographic Patterns on the Paraguay and Chiquitos Mission Frontiers
Chapter 5: Mission Demographic Patterns among Sedentary and Non-Sedentary Natives on the Frontiers of Spanish America: A Comparative Discussion
Chapter 6: Post Jesuit Expulsion Population Trends
Chapter 7: Conclusions
Appendices
Appendix 1: Population of the Paraguay Missions
Appendix 2: Females as a Percentage of the Total Population of the Paraguay Missions
Appendix 3: Marriages Recorded in the Paraguay Missions, in selected years
Appendix4: Vital Rates of the Paraguay Missions
Appendix5: Population of the Chiquitos Missions
Appendix 6: Females as a percentage of the total population of the Chiquitos Missions
Appendix 7: Marriages Recorded in the Chiquitos Missions in selected years
Appendix 8: Vital Rates of the Chiquitos Missions
Appendix 9: Castillian Weights and Measures Mentioned in the Text
Appendix 10: A Note on colonial Spanish American Silver Coins
Appendix 11: Area Measurements of Agricultural Land in Spanish America
Selected Bibliography
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