primary source analysis

Janine Baltazar

#3 Bartolomé de las Casas on Spanish Treatment of the Indians

Bartolomé de las Casas was a strong advocate and supporter of the proper and morally

correct treatment of the Indians in the 1500’s. His advocacy towards eradicating Spanish

mistreatment of the Indians paved the way to their freedom and for other nations help them get

saved from Spanish control (9). This excerpt focuses on the intense details and stories of the

mistreatment and unjust lives of the Indians under Spanish control. Las Casas strongly

humanized the Indians by stating the horrible conditions in which they were forced to work in

and the unfair pay that they received, discussing how they only continued their labor to “appease

their raging hunger and find ways to escape their desperate lives” (10). Other injustices that Las

Casas highlighted are the inadequate food and nutrition that the Spanish gave the Indians, as well

as the violent treatment they received when they gained illnesses. To Las Casas, the treatment of

the Indians was entirely harsh and the most “horrible form of servitude” (10), comparing them to

having even less freedom than animals in the wild (10). Las Casas stated that the lack of change

regarding this situation caused almost the entire population of the islands to perish (11).

This excerpt on the perspective of Bartolomé de Las Casas highlights the extreme view

that Europeans held against Indians during the discovery of the New World. This harsh and

negative view consisted of Indians being considered as “uncivilized barbarians” (Foner, 10). The

factors that made up Indian culture, including their religion, conception of property, and gender

roles (Shimko), helped create this perspective of being less worthy of being treated as normal

people. It also further provided them with justification for taking their land which was a crucial

component in the colonization of America. For example, the Europeans concluded that Indian

religion, which worshipped nature, was superstitious leading them to assume that Indians held a

backwards mindset (Shimko). The lack of agreement that Europeans held towards how Indians

ran their culture allowed their negative view on them to grow intensely. This led to conquests of

their land, such as Hispaniola, to result in extreme abuse and mistreatment towards them (Foner,

17). As stated by Las Casas, the abusive conquests that consisted of Indian enslavement and

mistreatment resulted in a tragic death toll of one-fifth of humankind, which was the “greatest

loss of life in human history” (Foner 20). These catastrophic events play a pivotal role in the

growing Spanish empire at the time.

Bartolomé de Las Casas revealed to me the reality of what Native Americans experienced

in the 16th century. I was aware of the mistreatment that they went through, but reading this

showed me how serious and intense it was. Las Casas was able to speak out against the

mistreatment in great detail, which was able to make an impact in gaining their freedom (9). As a

result, this was interesting to read since it opened my eyes and helped me gain a new level of

sympathy for those who have suffered. As someone from Filipino descent, a country that also

experienced Spanish colonization, reading this made me wonder how the Spanish handled their

conquests in other regions, including my own country. How did they treat other countries in their

conquests? What was the reasoning behind their treatment in other countries? Was it similar to

their reasoning behind the Indians? Did Las Casas influence other notable historical figures to

speak out against injustice and mistreatment?