Bartolome De Las Casas "Defender of the Natives"

1. Bartolome De Las Casas Elise Aguirre Fall 2018 History 1181-51

2. Thesis • What was Las Casas’s motivation to become a defender, and why did he make this choice when it was not popular with his people (Spaniards)? • For my early Latin American history final project I have decided to focus on the life and legacy of Bartolome de Las Casas. I chose this topic because I found it really interesting that while most other Spaniards were hateful and careless towards Native Americans, Las Casas served as a social reformer and was seen as the “Defender of the Native Americans.” Not only was he a social reformer, he was also a Spanish colonist and a historian, which makes his role in history that much more interesting. I hope to learn more about all of the actions Las Casas took to earn himself the title of “Defender of the Indians”, why he felt the need to complete these actions and the long-lasting legacy he has achieved through his actions.

3. Bartolome de las casas, Defender of the native Americans • Author: Christopher Minster • Summary: The blog speaks about Las Casas’s early life, experiments and legacy. He was about 9 years old when Columbus returned from his first voyage, and may have met some of the Taino’s that Columbus brought back. Las Casas’s father and uncle sailed with Columbus on the second voyage, and created family ties, becoming quite wealthy in Hispaniola. Las Casas even edited some of Columbus’s travel journals. Las Casas excelled in Latin studies, and his strong academic background served him for years to come. On his first trip to the Americas, he witnessed the horrible mistreatment the natives suffered and it had a lasting impression on him. Las Casas traveled to Spain and back several times taking note of the treatment of the Natives and by 1514 decided he could no longer be in a family that exploits the natives, so he renounced his family holdings on Hispaniola. Speaks of the Verapaz Experiment he conducted in 1537 to show that Natives are not violent and are instead peaceful. Speaks of his overall legacy and his idea that it was God’s plan to introduce Natives to the New World to see how merciful Spaniards are, and that the Spaniards are disappointing God. • Evaluation: I feel as though the source is credible, because it is a blog from ThoughtCo. and only informative blogs with accurate sources are accepted to published on the site due to the site guidelines. Christopher Minster is also a literature professor and writer who teaches at the Universidad San Francisco De Quito in Ecuador.

4. Las Casas, Bartolome de (1474-1566) • Author: Encyclopedia of the Early Modern World Authors and Editors • Summary: This article focuses on Las Casas whole life, his realizations and accomplishments. Discusses Las Casas’s first voyage to the New World to manage the land that Columbus gave his father. In 1507 Las Casas became a priest in Rome and publicly denounced the treatment of the Natives. Speaks of his pleads to King Ferdinand II to free the natives and his title of priest procurator of the Indies in 1516. Speaks of his written works and the several efforts he put forth to enforce human rights. • Evaluation: This source is credible because it involves the use of both primary and secondary sources. Popularly used encyclopedia intended for teachers and scholars to use.

5. The Oatmeal blog, Bartolome de las casas • Author: Howard Zinn and James W. Loewen • Summary: The blog focuses on why Christopher Columbus should not be praised on Columbus day and why it should be Las Casas who is praised. Uncovers the truth about the Taino's discovering the New World way before Columbus and the extreme mistreatment, enslaving, raping and massacring of their population by Columbus and his expedition group of Spaniards. Authors compare Columbus to Las Casas, emphasizing that while Columbus spent years mistreating Natives, Las Casas spent 50 years fighting for their equality, earning the title “Defender of the Indians.” • Evaluation: The blog is a credible source because it states that authors used primary sources such as eyewitness accounts, journal entries, and letters from Columbus himself.

6. Bartolome de las casas, An Early human rights worker • Author: Michael Curtotti • Summary: Focuses on the way that Las Casas used his office as Dominican friar and later bishop to uphold the rights of the indigenous peoples. He was influenced by a group of Dominican preachers led by Antonio De Montesinos, who spoke out against Spaniards about their horrible treatment of the Natives and the resources they drained from the population. Las Casas involved himself in a military campaign in Cuba, where he was awarded a slave, and he immediately freed the slave he was given. He collects information about the abuse of human rights in order to report them to authorities. • Evaluation: This is a credible website because each article written is accompanied by various sources, including both primary and secondary sources. It is also a .org website, meaning it is part of an organization that looks to provide learning materials to all scholars. It also has a mailing list, meaning that many people use and trust this source.

7. Bartolome de las casas and 500 years of racial injustice • Author: Dani Anthony • Summary: This article speaks out about the 500-year anniversary of the human rights acts proposed by Las Casas. Tells about Las Casas’s bold move to give up his land holdings and any slaves on his land in order to travel back to his homeland in Spain in 1515 to petition the Spanish crown to stop the abuses that European colonists were inflicting on Indigenous peoples. Tells about his famous writing “Short Account of the Destruction of the Indies”, and the ideas for human rights it held. Speaks of how he advocated to abolish slavery as well as establish self governance of Indigenous groups. • Evaluation: This source is credible because it is published by the history departments at Ohio State University and Miami University, making it a .edu website used as a tool for educational learning. Website also features teacher tools, eBooks, and a mailing list.

8. A short account of the destruction of the indies • Author: Bartolome De Las Casas • Summary: Official writing of Las Casas, which showcases his point of view on the evil acts centered towards Indigenous groups in the Indies as he presents to Lord Prince of all the Spains don Felipe in the Court of Spain. He addressed his fifty plus years of observing the horrible treatments the tribes have received and the rules that they are breaking in God’s eyes and the eyes of the Church. Compares Spaniards to “fierce wolves, tigers and lions who have gone many days without food or nourishment.” He speaks of how he cannot fathom why Spaniards are so capable of such intense cruelty. • Evaluation: This is a credible source because it is a primary document made up of excerpts from a famous writing written by Las Casas himself, written in 1542 and published in 1552. It has been posted on the National Humanities Center, which is a trustable organization providing primary sources.

9. Bartolome de las casas quotes • Author: Bartolome De Las Casas/ A-Z Quotes • Summary: Website features top eleven quotes written by Bartolome De Las Casas. Showcase his hatred for the unjust treatment of slaves and Indigenous groups, and the many ways these acts of cruelty have violated the life God wishes for people to live and the kindness he wishes for people to have towards one another. His quotes also focus on the importance of mankind taking care of each other, and those who have committed several sins asking to be saved. • Evaluation: I thoroughly enjoyed this source, as it featured wonderful words of wisdom from the peaceful and legendary Las Casas. I would consider it to be credible, as it uses Las Casa’s own influential words and covers his thoughts in an organized and interesting manner.

10. Conclusion What was Las Casas’s motivation to become a defender, and why did he make this choice when it was not popular with his people (Spaniards)? To revisit my research question, upon digging into several sources and conducting my research about the efforts set forth by Las Casas and his internal belief systems, I have come to the conclusion that Las Casas was simply not as desensitized to the inhumane acts enforced towards Natives and slaves as his people. While even his own father had strong ties with Columbus and had similar beliefs as Columbus towards Natives and slaves, Las Casas saw right through these ideals and upon further investigation realized that it is truly evil to treat an innocent population of people the way they were being treated. Las Casas’s strong hold on his spiritual beliefs in God as a Dominican friar also aided him in his knowledge that God does not want His people to be treated with inequalities and that He wants there to be peace on Earth and good will to men. He even challenged Spaniards with the idea that if they are so set on converting others to Christianity/Catholicism they are not truly godly themselves due to the horrible acts they are committing towards innocent individuals. I will always think of Las Casas as a human rights advocate and influential man of this time period, and will gladly celebrate Las Casas day over Columbus day every year for the rest of my life!

11. Works cited • Minster, Christopher. "Bartolome de Las Casas, Defender of Native Americans." ThoughtCo, Sep. 20, 2018, thoughtco.com/bartolome-de-las-casas-2136332. • "Las Casas, Bartolomé De (1474–1566)." Europe, 1450 to 1789: Encyclopedia of the Early Modern World. . Encyclopedia.com. 3 Dec. 2018<https://www.encyclopedia.com>. • Zinn, Howard, and James W Loewen. “Christopher Columbus Was Awful (but This Other Guy Was Not).” The Oatmeal, theoatmeal.com/comics/columbus_day. • Curtotti, Michael. “Bartolome De Las Casas: An Early Human Rights Worker.” Beyond Foreignness, 13 Feb. 2011, beyondforeignness.org/1034. • Anthony, Dani. July 2015: Bartolome De Las Casas and 500 Years of Racial Injustice, Ohio State University & Miami University, July 2015, origins.osu.edu/milestones/july-2015-bartolom-de-las-casas-and-500-years-racial-injustice. • De Las Casas, Bartolome. “A Short Account of the Destruction of the Indies.” National Humanities Center, 1552, nationalhumanitiescenter.org/pds/amerbegin/contact/text7/casas_destruction.pdf. • De Las Casas, Bartolome. “TOP 11 QUOTES BY BARTOLOME DE LAS CASAS.” A-Z Quotes, www.azquotes.com/author/30091-Bartolome_de_las_Casas.