Though the story of the blankets infected with smallpox looms large in American history, with one doctor calling it "bioterrorism," the truth is complicated. There is just one recorded case of colonists using smallpox blankets to deliberately spread disease among Indigenous Americans in 1763. That said, it's indisputable that smallpox ravaged America's indigenous people in the 18th century ?" and beyond. Not only did Indigenous Americans suffer from subsequent waves of the disease, but the scourge of smallpox also molded how Indigenous Americans view the federal government today. How Colonists Used Smallpox Blankets In 1763