What social problems did some First Nations communities face due to European trade?

• A. Addiction related to alcohol
• B. Increased literacy
• C. Improved health
• D. Economic stagnation only

Answer: (A)

European contact through trade brought access to new goods, including alcohol, which some Indigenous communities began to drink in large amounts. This introduction led to widespread alcohol addiction and a range of social problems that followed—family disruption, higher rates of violence, crime, and health issues tied to misuse. While trade did bring changes in other areas, the social problem most commonly and directly linked to European involvement was alcohol-related addiction, making it the best answer. The other options don’t fit as well: literacy isn’t described as a problem caused by trade, improved health runs against the historical pattern, and saying only economic stagnation ignores the broader social harms that were observed.