What changed in the early 16th century that caused the deaths of so many Native Americans in Florida?

Question

 What happened that's all I need to know 

Answer 1

Large numbers of Europeans arrived, resulting in conflicts and outbreaks of diseases brought by Europeans to which natives were susceptible. In addition, although Africans were eventually those enslaved for reasons related to language and lack of familiarity with the land, native Americans were also enslaved . These were among the factors responsible for decimating the population of native Americans. 

Answer 2

"Most of them died from the diseases introduced by the Europeans and the African slaves."

https://www.varsitytutors.com/earlyamerica/early-america-review/volume-11/native-americans-smallpox

 

Later in American history we see African slaves in Florida running to the Seminole tribe for freedom, so again the disease issue came into play. -look for a reference for this, should that help you...

 

"At the dawn of the 16th century ce, as the European conquest of the Americas began, indigenous peoples resided throughout the Western Hemisphere. They were soon decimated by the effects of epidemic disease, military conquest, and enslavement, and, as with other colonized peoples, they were subject to discriminatory political and legal policies well into the 20th, and even the 21st, century."

https://www.britannica.com/topic/Native-American/Native-American-history

 

Also check out this website:

http://www.semtribe.com/History/Timeline.aspx