Bartolome De Las Casas Analysis

The argument of Juan Gines de Sepulveda is that of negative feedback to what was experienced in the first encounter of the Spaniards and American Indians in the Sixteenth Century. Also, Sepulveda demonstrates through his opinion that war against the Indians is a rightful act due to the fact that the Indians are seen as lower beings. The proof that Sepulveda uses to support his position is the glimpse the Spaniards noted in the short time they observed the Indians. Sepulveda thought that the Indians were uneducated individuals that were uncivilized in the way they conducted their lives. This can be seen in that Sepulveda comments on how Indians are not educated because they seem not to have an alphabet, any knowledge of the sciences, or any

In the first section of the book, he mentions Christians first rather than the Spaniard. Las Casas would never imagine that Christians can commit such cruelties to the indigenous people. When voyaging to the New World, Hispaniola was the first land to be demolished and substantially reduce the population of Indians through the hands of Christians. In this excerpt, Casas documents all the things he sees. He states that Christians began subjugating women and children and taking them away for ill-use. They would also take their food that was earned by labor and toil (Casper and Davies 10). These acts would eventually lead the Indians to hide their food as well as women and children. Some would migrate to the mountains. Yet, Christians continued to act harshly attacking the Indians until they arrive at the village nobles, who they also misuse. Casas describes the Christians behaviors as “temerity and shamelessness” (10). He also affirms that these actions lead the Indians to expel the Christians from their lands. However, Indian weapons were ineffective against the Christians because they are "very weak and of little service in offense and still less in defense" and that it is for this reason that "the wars of Indians against each other are little more than games played by children" (10). I

Casas starts off by identifying that even before the arrival of Spaniards, the Indians had a proper way of living, where they had laws, religion, and unique customs. In addition, Casas argues that the Indian race is actually not barbaric as to what Sepulveda had thought. Not only are the Indians quick in learning new arts, they were also willing to accept the new religion of Christianity, and confess to God for their sins. Moreover, the Indians are skillful in various kinds of arts, where amazing buildings, paintings and needleworks have been produced. Even Hernan Cortes mentioned that building built by Indians should be respected. All these facts justifies Casas point that Indians are not

As stated in the excerpt, Las Casas uses characterization to describe the Natives. He even says, "These would be the most blessed people on earth if only they were given the chance to convert to Christianity" (Casas 11). His use of this literary method virtually guarantees that his readers will become empathetic toward the natives and side with Las Casas in his endeavor to protect the Indians. Essentially, to those uneducated in the goings-on in the New World, Las Casas not only educated them but struck a sympathetic nerve that helped to push Old World Europeans toward minimizing the cruelty in the New World.

The way that this debate, between Bartolomé de Las Casas and Juan Gines Sepulveda, played out allows us to see both sides of the dispute. Las Casas was formerly from the Spanish military, during which time he served in Cuba with direct contact to the Native Americans. Because of this influence on this life, and some of the people that he met while he worked there, he then dedicated himself to improving life for the native people. Later, in August of 1550, he engaged in a debate with Sepulveda which was called the Great Debate at Valladolid before the Council for the Indies.

During the conquest of the new world, the idea of varied culture was far from the minds of the Spanish exploring the Americas . This lack of thought for other definitions of normal allows modern readers to better understand the debate of the time: the moral obligations associated with subjugation and conversion. Two Spanish theologians, Bartolomé de las Casas and Juan Gines de Sepulveda, thought that their specific means for carrying out the tasks of evangelization and colonization were superior to the other. Though no clear winner of the dispute over a “just war” was declared, their argumentation continues to be discussed due to its relevancy.

The conquistadors ventured to the America’s in approximately the 1500s. During the process of settlement the conquistadors, led by Hernan Cortez encountered numerous natives who originally inhabited the land. When two unfamiliar civilizations encounter each other the end result can be unpredictable. Each human being has an unique thought process. Therefore numerous spaniards viewed the native americans as a peaceful, and kind civilization, while on the other side of the bridge, several spaniards like Hernan Cortez viewed the indians as a threat to their wellbeing. However, Bartolome de las Casas viewed the native Indians in a different manner. Bartolome de las Casas viewed the natives as a genuinely kind civilization, therefore the people

Bartolome de las Casas brings up the issue of how the natives are treated. He discussed how the Spaniards had no problem cutting up the Indians simply to test the sharpness of their blade.

It is astounding that Spanish colonialist had the Valladolid debate at this point in their colonization. One of the main reasons it is so shocking that this debate even happened was because of how profitable the forced enslavement of Native Americans was to the Spanish government. One of the first things the Spanish did when they landed the New World was enslave the indigenous people to work in precious metal mines. These mines brought unimaginable riches to Spain and the Catholic Church. These riches had proven to the Spanish crown that they had made the correct decision in funding Columbus, as it was going to make the unbelievably rich. The Spanish monarchy only cared about the riches from the America, not about how it was obtained.

Bartolome de Las Casas, was a friar and latter a Dominican, who is considered by many as one of the few authors who does justice to the native people of the New World. Casas has a particular purpose on his writings, that being letting the King of Spain at that time Charles V know, of the miseries that were being done to the native people of the New World. De Las Casas does not condemn the arrival of the Spanish in this new land, nor does he condemn the conversion of these gentle and innocent people to Christianity, however, he condemns the measures taken to convert these people into Christianity. He is one of the few writers that extends in different places, and it is certain that he was one of the few who travelled all around the New World.

The key to finding that precious middle ground was understanding their position with the natives. As castaways in North America, Cabeza de Vaca and his fellow explorers found themselves in a unique situation. As largely high-ranking Catholic Spaniards (with the exception of Estebanico), and as conquistadors in their own sense, the men had been ingrained with a firm belief that they held a dominant place in the order of the world; the strange peoples they encountered in the New World were regarded by most people of the era as barbaric and uncivilized. For perhaps the first time,

De Las Casas calls out the Spaniards on their treatment of the native people, after being witness to the horrors himself. Williams observes the natives and comes to understand that they have a civility about them, attempting to break the “savage” stereotype, although still considering them sinners, but innocent in that they have not had the light of Christianity shined upon them. De Las Casas admires the bravery of the natives, as he mentions that they do not seek revenge towards the Spaniards for the grueling work they are forced to do for no benefit other than the sparing of their lives. He switches the perspective greatly from “Requerimiento, 1514” by making the Spanish out to be bullies to the natives. Williams states that “A man shall generally finde more free entertainment and refreshing amongst these barbarian, then amongst thousands that call themselves Christians…” implying that he has more fun experiences with the natives. He is also impressed by their math abilities, as they have no writing tools. Both men view the natives as innocent beings that do not deserve the cruelties they are faced

Juan Gines de Sepulveda and Bartolome de las Casas held differing viewpoints on the treatment and personhood of the indigenous peoples of the New World. The Spanish contemporaries had perspectives that were both opposing and similar in regard to the Native population during the advent of sixteenth century Spanish domination in the Americas.

Tensions between who owns the New World, Native Americans or Spaniards, have recurred throughout history. The issue of this history is viewed differently by different people. Some people say this and some people say that. Both authors from the reading view this issue differently. Juan Gines disparages the Indians whereas Bartolome defends and supports the Indians.

While Sepulveda's theoretical contentions neglected to promptly influence regal approach, Las Casas, with his positive perspectives, in the end, dealing with the interests of Spanish Empire's and continued existence in the new-fangled Biosphere. Once the head figured out how to check the energy of encomenderos, it proceeded to end its fleeting cooperation with the Church. Las Casas and Sepúlveda, depicting the traditional and holy bases from the European and former enactment of Spanish controlling Spanish and Indian relations, tried to sort out the terms of the proselytizing of the American Natives in 1550. At last, the debate of Las Casas and Sepúlveda, regardless of the effect it had on the European and the American eternities, neglected to enhance the situation of these American Indians considerably. Nil tolerant result left the civil argument; no practical arrangement could have come about, for the verbal confrontation was done in excessively assumed a structure. The two sides resolved to demonstrate or negate the lawfulness of war as a method for change, resolutely adhered to their separate compositions, and in this way neglected to come to a practical and reliable trade-off. As anyone might expect, the public argument neglected to emerge into substantial advantages for the Indians. Its heritage exists in the composure of Spaniard in tending to the rough states of the Indians from the "additional," Indian point of