Preview

Destruction of the Indies

Satisfactory Essays
Open Document
Open Document
288 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Destruction of the Indies
A brief Destruction of the Indies
Bartolome' De Las Casas stated that "those who have traveled to this part of the world pretending to be Christians have uprooted these pitiful peoples and wiped them from the face of the earth (Las Casas, 12). After reading the horrific accounts of what has occurred to those long suffering, undeserving people of the Indies that "are with out without malice or guile, and are utterly faithful and obedient both to their own native lords and to the Spainards in whose service they now find themselves" (Las Casas, 10). As a Christian woman, I utterly regret the use of my Christian faith as a ruse of the Spaniards in the Indies to justify their agenda of greed and destruction.

It is my personal inclination that the text I have just read finds it's way into the hands of all the peoples of Spain, in hopes that they to agree that our men in the Indies to have "lost all fear of God, all love of their sovereign and all sense of self-respect" (42). In belief that with their support our Prince Phillip will find a means to regulate the activities in the Americas and put an end to the hardships of her natives and possibly unearth a way to avenge the use of his good name, country and faith for such a merciless show of power. As for those Conquistadors who possess sin filled hearts and who have taken so many innocent lives, they must "wait until the Day of Judgment when all shall be made clear and God will come to punish the wickedness and awful behavior towards the inhabitants of the New World of men masquerading as

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Better Essays

    During the sixteenth century, Spanish expeditions to the New World were pursued under the power of the Spanish King, who enforces Spanish law. Specific people were appointed certain positions on these journeys and the entire crew was expected to follow Spanish law and fulfill their responsibilities, on of which includes converting any natives to Christianity. Despite the fact Cabeza de Vaca essentially failed as being treasurer of his expedition, he believes that he, unlike the majority of the other Spaniards, carried out Spanish law correctly and is willing to prove himself to his King with his account. Throughout his document, Cabeza de Vaca carefully selects his choice of words to convince the King he is not one of the men responsible for the deterioration of the voyage. The purpose of chapter thirty-four is to specifically demonstrate how the Christians differed from Cabeza de Vaca and his men in carrying out their duties as Spaniards and as Christians. Since Cabeza de Vaca witnessed the disasters that happened, he doesn't hold Spanish law in high regards. He also believes the King should change certain aspects in order for a society to run successfully in a new environment as well as approach the act of converting any natives to Christianity in the correct manner.…

    • 1335 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    When the “Christians” arrived to the Indies the Indians viewed them as people from Heaven and soon found out that they were anything but that.…

    • 545 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    In Ward Churchill’s “History Not Taught is History Forgot: Columbus’s Legacy of Genocide”, depictions of the European’s genocide and greed are numerous. Christopher Columbus nearly caused the extinction of the native Taino’s people. He used slavery as the premiere method of extinction. Upon his arrival, the Taino’s population ranked eight million. When he departed, that number had dwindled to 100, 000. His successors carried on his policies, and the natives were further decimated to a mere 22, 000 in the year 1514. By the year 1542 they were reduced to 200 individuals, rendering them virtually extinct. The consequences of Columbus’ policies indirectly led to an absolute extermination of an entire culture.…

    • 197 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Better Essays

    This mantra would initially lead a small band of six Jesuits to the shores of Salvador on the Bay of All Saints in 1549 alongside the first Portuguese Governor of Brazil. In the Colonial Latin America: A Documentary History, the focus of Chapter 13 is a series of letters that documents the struggles that the Jesuits faced in converting Tupi Indians to Catholicism. Also the chapter highlights the controversy of unorthodox practices that are used for conversion in Colonial Latin America, and the questionable means used to sustain a Jesuit Society and Catholic infrastructures, both physically and spiritually,. From the surface controversy can be attributed to the Jesuits pushing against the Eurocentric ideas of what conversion practices should be like in Colonial Latin America in comparison to conversion practices on the Iberian Peninsula. However, the Jesuits were not opposing the way that the Catholic Church functioned on the Iberian Peninsula, instead the Jesuits were having to adapt by necessity to the environment, culture and practices in Colonial Latin America and specifically in…

    • 1720 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Bartoleme de las Casas was born on 1484 in Sevilla, Spain. In 1502 he left for Hispaniola to spread the word of Christianity and monitor the progress of religion in that area. Once there he witnessed the brutal treatment of the indigenous people. He continued to participate in the conquest for an additional twelve years. After his services, he was rewarded with territory and indigenous people of his own. Once he met the gentle people, Las Casas realized that the way the Spaniards treated the Native Americans was inhumane. He sailed back to Spain to defend the people and plead for their better treatment. After this, Las Casa believed that “both Spaniards and indigenous communities could build a new civilization in American together” (Pagden).…

    • 472 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Based off of this reading, it can be assumed that the conditions in the Indies during the time this text was written were not humane whatsoever. The actions of the Spaniards were very much barbaric, and completely contradict the religion which the Spaniards were trying so desperately to impose upon the natives of the Indies. Without having to go into detail, it is said by Bartoleme in the letter that the Spaniards would treat the people of the Indies as wild beasts, cattle, or animals. But he then goes back on this statement saying that in fact they treated them less than livestock, because they at least took care of the livestock. This is a good example of how barbarically the Spaniards ruled over the Natives. There was no respect for the Natives, even though they were described as peaceful, passive, kind, and as overall decent human beings. Yet in the eyes of the Spaniards, the same people were seen as barbarians and savages. What makes the situation even more disturbing is that the Spaniards used the name of god to justify their ruthless actions. They saw it as their divine right to take over the Natives. Fortunately, there were people like Bartoleme that spoke out against these cruel acts. He wrote the letter describing all the acts of inhumanity towards the Natives to the King and Queen of Spain in order to create rules and regulations that would regulate the actions of the Spaniards in the Indies. This alone was a substantial act of humanity. The only ironical part is that he suggests that the Spanish use African people instead of using the Natives of the Indies for labor. Unfortunately at the time, there were still mass amounts of racism, even amongst the most noble of men. Men such as Bartoleme who spoke out against cruel acts were still subject to their own racist antics. Although this wasn’t very…

    • 385 Words
    • 11 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Columbus viewed the Indians as very generous and kind people. However De Las Casas refuses to see Indians are just like Columbus said. He feels or wants to mistake the Indians’ kindness for a weakness, easily manipulate them into enslavement, and do all these cruel and inhumane things to the Indians. De Las Casas and the Christians on the island of Hispaniola began their destruction. Families were being broken up, women and suckling children were being separated. In analysis this very thing is happening in modern times such as terrorism that has people fearing for their lives. Casas stated, “For everyone Christian that the Indians slew, the Christians would slay an hundred Indians” (69). Shockingly De Las Casas was one of the ones that introduced Africans to slavery as well (67). However De Las Casas plan didn’t go as plan for very long because people like Spanish emperor Charles V followed suit with the New Laws of the Indies, which gave Indians full protection and forbade enslavement on any…

    • 589 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    King Ferdinand

    • 681 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Below is a letter which King Ferdinand sent along with Columbus on his second voyage to Haiti. It was to be communicated to the Taino/Arawak Indians. It is a fascinating document. The King wants the Indians to acknowledge the Christian religion and God, and to accept the authority of the King of Spain. The letter is a mix of promises of benefits that will come to them, but quickly followed up with the direst of threats if they do no comply.…

    • 681 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    1 In this context, the written text was not so much to be understood as to be venerated: “neither the Bible nor the Requerimiento were documents that demanded interpretation; they were instead touchpapers for the violent explosion of imperial expansion, code words in the <> enacted by the [Iberian colonizers] in the dark” (Beasley-Murray 5).…

    • 98 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    What really shocked me was when the Spaniards had the audacity to say they are doing this as a “testimony to the great deeds and holy miracles performed by these dauntless missionaries of the holy Catholic faith” (8:40). I am still trying to figure out how exactly torturing or harming the natives is a “great…

    • 904 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    As industry swept across Europe the need for raw materials arose. With this came the explosion of exploration and colonization in undeveloped areas. In the western hemisphere, the Spanish conquered Florida, the south-western part of the U.S., Mexico, and the western parts of South America. This land was especially desirable because of the copious amounts of lumber, cotton, and coal. Bartelomé de Las Casas, a Dominican friar, went to the new world as a bishop where he witnessed the poor treatment of the Native people. This lead him to publish the Apologetic History of the Indies where he argued against the corruption of the Native Americans innocence and of their lands by the Spanish colonists.…

    • 311 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Requirimiento, 1514:

    • 569 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Requirimiento, 1514: In 1514, the Requerimiento was put forth by the Spanish conquistadors toward indigenous people to state that they had all power over them and that the Bible was the proof behind their actions of doing so. While God has brought about the human race, the heavens, and the earth, there have also been many descendants from Adam and Eve. Many of these have began to go in their own way because they could not find peace remaining as one province. There was a pope who was given the right and leadership to have his own jurisdiction. He had those few beneath him who were given power as well over their main lands. Many under them have abided fairly well as they were treated good and respected their demands. The indigenous people were to obey in order to be treated with respect. If they did not obey, there would be consequences in which one would never wish upon oneself. The people were to accept what they were told, to beseech under their leaders, and to follow the religious beliefs as this was a gift to them of having the freedom that they do have. If one did not obey, he/she was to be harmed, tortured, and hunted down until they would abide by the given demands. They would go onto your land without the persons say so, take your family away from you making them into slaves, and would sell them and you as an order. They felt God was behind them as they would do all the harm and hurt to you for you not abiding by the Lord’s rule.…

    • 569 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Today I am in Puerto Rico to talk with families and local government representatives about the destruction they are dealing with. I want the people in Puerto Rico, as well as those in the Virgin Islands, to know that they are not alone, they have not been forgotten.…

    • 259 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    History of Philippines

    • 2505 Words
    • 11 Pages

    Christianity came to the Philippines as the religion of the conqueror. Although Spain came to rule in the prospect of looking for wealth, religion also played an important role of during Spanish colonization. In fact, the importance of religion during the Philippine colonial experience shaped the nation’s culture and political life (Rodell, 2008). The Philippine is perceived as a Christian country because of…

    • 2505 Words
    • 11 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    tredone

    • 978 Words
    • 4 Pages

    4. Who were the Ilustrados and what were their contributions to the society during the Spanish era?…

    • 978 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays