European colonization had a catastrophic impact on Indigenous populations in the Americas, resulting in significant demographic, cultural, and social changes. Europeans brought diseases—such as smallpox—that decimated native populations who had no immunity, leading to the death of millions. Colonizers also disrupted traditional ways of life through land dispossession and enforced labor systems, such as the encomienda and plantation systems. The cultural impositions, including religion and language, further eroded Indigenous identities and practices. This colonization created a legacy of conflict, inequality, and systemic marginalization, effects of which persist in various forms today as Indigenous peoples continue to fight for recognition and rights.