How much of the crow Indian population was killed from diseases the Europeans brought over?

Answer 1

Far more Crows died in inter-tribal warfare than were ever killed by disease - something that also applies to many other native groups but is often overlooked by those seeking to exaggerate the impact of diseases introduced accidentally by white people.

In fact the Crows were entirely surrounded by native enemies who vastly outnumbered them; from an early date it was calculated that the Crows would eventually be entirely wiped out by other tribes including the Flathead, Shoshone, Blackfoot, Atsina, Cheyenne, Arapaho and Lakota. That they were not wiped out is testimony to their bravery and resourcefulness, as well as a courageous and powerful fighting spirit.

It was estimated that at the time of first contact with French explorers and trappers there were about 4,000 Crows; Larocque estimated their population in 1805 at 300 lodges (about 1,500 people); writing in 1855 Edwin Thompson Denig stated they had been reduced at that time from 800 lodges (4,000 people) to 460 lodges (2,300 people). They survived several bouts of smallpox by travelling in small bands and scattering in various directions as soon as an infection was identified, preventing the spread of the disease.

The Crow population figure fluctuated between about 3,000 and 4,000 during the second half of the 19th century. Since no natives kept records of the precise cause of individual deaths we can only say that the fluctuating population figures reflect starvation, disease and warfare with other tribes.

Today there are over 11,000 enrolled tribal members.