* European diseases: The arrival of Europeans in the Americas brought with it a host of diseases to which the Lucayan people had no immunity, such as smallpox, measles, and influenza. These diseases decimated the Lucayan population, reducing their numbers from an estimated 50,000 in 1492 to just a few hundred by the early 1600s.
* Enslavement: The Spanish colonists who settled in the Bahamas used the Lucayan people as a source of labor, forcing them to work in the fields, mines, and other industries. Many Lucayans died as a result of the harsh conditions of enslavement, and those who survived were often malnourished and sickly.
* Cultural disruption: The arrival of the Europeans also disrupted the Lucayan people's way of life. Their traditional religious beliefs and practices were suppressed, and their language and culture were suppressed. This cultural disruption contributed to the Lucayan people's sense of loss and despair, and may have also played a role in their decline.