Bartolomé de las Casas was born in 1484 in Sevilla, Spain and died July 1566 in Madrid. He was a very famous Spanish historian, social reformer, and Dominican friar in the 16th-century. He became the first resident Bishop of Chiapas, and the first officially elected “Protector of the Indians.” His most famous writing is the excerpt A Short Account of the Destruction of the Indies and Historia de Las Indias. Las Casas objected to the Spanish treatment of the natives, and in 1542 he wrote an account called A Short Account of the Destruction of the Indies which is about the mistreatment of and atrocities committed against the indigenous peoples of the Americas in colonial times. According to Las Casas, the spanish conquistadors are very mean and
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Las Casas describes the Spaniards as being very greedy (particularly for gold) and ruthless men who likes to take advantage of the Native American population. The Spaniards were known for their very brutal and harsh actions towards the New World people. They destroyed families and places while also convicting very violent murders. The first attempt to the bloody slaughter and destruction of men happened on the Island of Hispaniola. Las Casas states that “they were violently forced away Women and Children to make them slaves, and ill-treated, consuming and wasting their Food, which they had purchased with great sweat, toil, and yet remained dissatisfied too.” “They laid Wagers among themselves, who should with a Sword at one blow cut, or divide a Man in two; or which of them should decollate or behead a Man, with the greatest dexterity.” The Spaniards were very cruel people. “They snatch young Babes from the Mothers Breasts, and then dasht out the brains of those innocents against Rocks; others they cast into Rivers scoffing and jeering them.” By listing these examples it shows how ungrateful and hateful the Spaniards were and how badly they treated the people of the New World. Wives and Children would hide in holes, but to avoid dreadful temper would seek refuge on the tops of mountains. “The Spaniards …show more content…
In A Short Account of the Destruction of the Indies, Las Casas says “this infinite multitude of Men are by the Creation of God innocently simple, altogether void of and averse to all manner of Craft, Subtlety and Malice, and the most Obedient and Loyal Subjects to their Native Sovereigns; and behave themselves very patiently, submissively and quietly towards the Spaniards.” He believed that the Native people did not deserve to be treated the way they were by the Spaniards. He somewhat describes the Natives, even though they were harshly attacked, he said they were naive. Las Cases refers to the Americans as “boys” instead of “men”, he did this because he believed that they were helpless when the Spanish attacked, and when they tried to fight back they would resemble young boys instead of strong men. By saying this he establishes the help and protection the Native people need from the
Las Casas describes the Spaniards as being very greedy (particularly for gold) and ruthless men who likes to take advantage of the Native American population. The Spaniards were known for their very brutal and harsh actions towards the New World people. They destroyed families and places while also convicting very violent murders. The first attempt to the bloody slaughter and destruction of men happened on the Island of Hispaniola. Las Casas states that “they were violently forced away Women and Children to make them slaves, and ill-treated, consuming and wasting their Food, which they had purchased with great sweat, toil, and yet remained dissatisfied too.” “They laid Wagers among themselves, who should with a Sword at one blow cut, or divide a Man in two; or which of them should decollate or behead a Man, with the greatest dexterity.” The Spaniards were very cruel people. “They snatch young Babes from the Mothers Breasts, and then dasht out the brains of those innocents against Rocks; others they cast into Rivers scoffing and jeering them.” By listing these examples it shows how ungrateful and hateful the Spaniards were and how badly they treated the people of the New World. Wives and Children would hide in holes, but to avoid dreadful temper would seek refuge on the tops of mountains. “The Spaniards …show more content…
In A Short Account of the Destruction of the Indies, Las Casas says “this infinite multitude of Men are by the Creation of God innocently simple, altogether void of and averse to all manner of Craft, Subtlety and Malice, and the most Obedient and Loyal Subjects to their Native Sovereigns; and behave themselves very patiently, submissively and quietly towards the Spaniards.” He believed that the Native people did not deserve to be treated the way they were by the Spaniards. He somewhat describes the Natives, even though they were harshly attacked, he said they were naive. Las Cases refers to the Americans as “boys” instead of “men”, he did this because he believed that they were helpless when the Spanish attacked, and when they tried to fight back they would resemble young boys instead of strong men. By saying this he establishes the help and protection the Native people need from the