The biggest advantage that the European colonists had over the Native Americans was immunity to the diseases that they brought with them. The microbes that arrived with the colonists caused widespread illness and death among the Native Americans, with mortality rates being high among infants and the elderly. The diseases that took hold among the Native American communities included smallpox, influenza, measles, and chicken pox.

Another significant advantage that the newcomers had was that they had in their possession a number of materials and products that were of great interest to the Native Americans. Weapons such as guns, axes, and knives were among such items. As a result, the Native Americans became overly reliant on the European colonists. In addition to this, rum became a firm favorite beverage among Native American men.

A third advantage that the settlers had was their ability to sow division among the Native Americans. By offering goods like tools and weapons to certain American tribes, those tribes would bring the Europeans slaves from other tribes, who would be required to undertake land-clearing and construction jobs.

The fact that the Europeans had better weapons and better means of transportation made them a formidable opponent in battle. Lastly, as the old saying goes, there is strength in numbers, and the Europeans soon greatly outnumbered the Native Americans.