Initial low population estimates of the number of indigenous people in North America upon European arrival were politically motivated: it helped portray the European conquest of North America as legitimate because it was depicted as a relatively uninhabited continent.

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This statement is true. The initial low population estimates were often used to justify European colonization and conquest of North America, implying that the continent was sparsely populated and therefore available for European settlement. However, these estimates have since been shown to be incorrect, with the actual population of indigenous peoples likely much higher than initially believed.

Initial Low Population Estimates of the Number of Indigenous People