Bartolomé de Las Casas was a 16th-century Spanish historian and colonist, also known as a Dominican friar. Born in Seville, Spain, in 1484, he was a Roman Catholic priest who joined the Dominican religious order in 1515. He traveled to the island of Hispaniola in 1502, where he worked with King Ferdinand I of Spain. In 1515, he began his lifelong battle for justice on behalf of the Indigenous people by appealing to the highest authority: King Ferdinand I.
Las Casas spent 50 years actively fighting slavery and the colonial abuse of Indigenous peoples, especially by trying to convince the Spanish court. He faced two essential questions: “Who are these indigenous peoples?” and “How do we preach the Gospel to them?” Assumptions of white European assumptions were not always accurate.
Bartolomé de las Casas was a Spanish colonist and friar who advocated for better treatment of Indigenous peoples. He joined the Dominican religious order in 1515 and later became the first Dominican priest ordained in the Americas in 1510. He devoted his life to protesting the mistreatment of the Indians, with whom he worked in Guatemala. In 1510, he became the first Dominican priest ordained in the Americas and led a crusade against Gutiérrez.
In summary, Bartolomé de Las Casas was a significant figure in the history of the Dominican religion and the fight for the rights of the indigenous peoples in the Americas. He was a Dominican friar who fought for justice and the protection of the indigenous peoples, exposing the atrocities of Spanish colonialism and advocating for their acceptance of the faith in total freedom.
| Article | Description | Site |
|---|---|---|
| Bartolomé de las Casas | Bartolomé de las Casas, OP was a Spanish clergyman, writer, and activist best known for his work as an historian and social reformer. | en.wikipedia.org |
| Biography of Bartolomé de Las Casas, Spanish Colonist | Bartolomé de Las Casas (c. 1484–July 18, 1566) was a Spanish Dominican friar who became famous for his defense of the rights of the Indigenous peoples of the … | thoughtco.com |
| Bartolomé de Las Casas | Bartolomé de Las Casas (1484-1566) was a Spanish Dominican friar and former conquistador who revealed the atrocities of the conquests of New Spain and Peru. | worldhistory.org |
📹 Bartolomé de las Casas Changing Your Mind European History Extra History
History of Bartolomé de las Casas: Changing Your Mind – Bartolomé de las Casas had it all. A conquistador at the height of …
What Did The Casas Believe In?
Bartolomé de Las Casas, a Dominican friar born in Seville on November 11, 1484, became a prominent advocate for the rights of Native Americans. Initially seeking fortune in the New World, he was horrified by the exploitation and degradation of indigenous people in the Spanish colonies. This led him to renounce his land and slaves and return to Spain, where he criticized the Spanish colonial government's treatment of the natives, particularly opposing the system of slavery in the West Indies.
Las Casas argued for the equal humanity and natural rights of Native Americans, advocating for their better treatment and conversion to Christianity. In 1537, Pope Paul III supported his cause by issuing an edict banning the enslavement of native peoples. Through his preaching, writing, and lobbying efforts, Las Casas became known as "Father to the Indians." He published a shocking account in 1552, detailing the atrocities committed by the conquistadors against indigenous populations.
While initially supporting African slavery as a means to protect Native Americans, Las Casas later called for the abolition of all slavery, though his moral ideas were largely disregarded by European empires. His writings gained traction in Europe, providing humanitarian arguments that challenged Spain's colonial practices, marking him as a significant figure in the fight against the brutal colonization of the Americas.
What Is Bartolome Known For?
Bartolomé de Las Casas (1484-1566), a Spanish Dominican priest, is renowned for his vigorous opposition to the encomienda system, a form of slave labor in Latin America. As a missionary and former conquistador, Las Casas became a critical voice against the Spanish colonial government, specifically regarding the mistreatment of Indigenous peoples. Initially a participant in the conquest of Cuba, he later transformed into an ardent advocate for Indigenous rights and social reform.
Ordained around 1512 or 1513, Las Casas was possibly the first person in the Americas to receive holy orders. He devoted much of his life to documenting and revealing the brutal realities of Spanish conquests in the New World, earning him the title of the Universal Protector of Indigenous peoples. His writings, including petitions and treatises, sought to influence King Spain's legislation to curb the exploitation of Native populations, promoting justice and human rights.
Las Casas's work as a historian made him one of the first significant writers about the Americas' history and Indigenous cultures, as many original records were destroyed by the Spanish. His legacy is that of a champion for the oppressed, often referred to as the "Protector of the Indies," highlighting his commitment to preserving Indigenous dignity amidst colonial abuses.
What Is The Purpose Of Casas?
CASAS, or Comprehensive Adult Student Assessment System, is an assessment tool that evaluates an individual's skills and aptitudes in math and reading, particularly in a classroom or workforce context. This nonprofit organization focuses on the development of basic skills assessments for youth and adults, making it a crucial system for competencies that align with real-world applications. CASAS is widely recognized in the U. S. for its competency-based assessments, ensuring accurate learner placement and informing instructional approaches.
In parallel, Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) is a national organization in the U. S. dedicated to supporting abused and neglected children through trained community volunteers. CASA volunteers, appointed by judges, advocate for children's best interests in the legal system, providing a critical independent voice to help ensure children's needs are met. They gather relevant facts and personalize advocacy, helping the court to make informed decisions regarding a child's welfare.
Both CASAS and CASA embody a commitment to empowerment: CASAS empowers adult learners through skills assessment, while CASA empowers vulnerable children by ensuring they have supportive, informed advocates during challenging times in their lives. Together, they highlight the importance of community involvement and the need for tailored support.
What Was De Las Casas Point Of View?
Bartolomé de Las Casas, a Dominican priest and prominent critic of Spanish colonial practices, argued that, despite the Pope granting Spain sovereignty over the New World, the indigenous peoples retained their property and labor rights. He asserted that treating Native Americans as inferior violated divine and natural laws. Las Casas vividly illustrated the brutal treatment faced by the inhabitants of Hispaniola, contrasting their initial hospitality towards the Spanish with the atrocities committed by the conquistadors. Sickened by the exploitation of indigenous peoples, he renounced his land and slaves to advocate for their rights in Spain.
Over his lifetime, Las Casas sought to reform the encomienda system, arguing for human rights and the equal humanity of Native Americans. His campaign against slavery led to legal reforms and early discussions on human rights. Despite having initially proposed African slaves as an alternative to protect Native Americans, his views evolved as he recognized the importance of advocating for the indigenous population.
Las Casas's writings, including "Brevísima Relación de la Destrucción de las Indias," drew attention to the mistreatment of Native Americans, making him a pioneering figure in the fight for indigenous rights and an enduring symbol of resistance against colonial oppression.
Was Bartolome De Las Casas Religious?
Bartolomé de Las Casas (1484-1566) was a Spanish Dominican priest and missionary known for advocating Indigenous rights in the Americas. Ordained around 1512 or 1513, he may have been the first person in America to receive holy orders. Initially a conquistador, Las Casas became a vocal critic of the atrocities committed by Spanish colonizers in New Spain and Peru. He aimed to expose the hypocrisy of those who claimed to follow Christ while inflicting suffering on Indigenous peoples.
Las Casas was often referred to as "Father to the Indians" due to his defense of their welfare through preaching, writings, and lobbying efforts. Despite advocating for Indigenous rights, he initially supported African slavery, which he later regretted. His efforts included writing directly to the King of Spain, seeking new laws to protect Native Americans from exploitation. Las Casas emphasized the importance of peaceful evangelization over violence, arguing that true Christianity should not involve coercion.
After his death, he was venerated as a holy figure, leading to the consideration of his canonization by the Catholic Church. His legacy highlights the ethical treatment of Indigenous peoples and showcases the complex nature of his views as both a pioneer in advocacy and a figure with a troubled past.
Did Bartolome De Las Casas Believe In Slavery?
Bartolomé de Las Casas was a Dominican priest and missionary in the Americas, involved in slavery practices of his time, where both black and white individuals were enslaved in Spain. Initially, he suggested using African slaves to replace Indigenous people, believing that those already enslaved in Spain should be utilized since Indigenous peoples had a legal regime of freedom. His influential writings, notably "Short Account of the Destruction of the Indies," articulated his views on slavery and the rights of Native peoples.
After witnessing the brutality inflicted upon Indigenous tribes, Las Casas transitioned from a participant in the conquest to an advocate against Spanish cruelty. He freed his own slaves and renounced his encomienda, recognizing that both slavery and conquests were wrong.
In the 1510s, Las Casas began criticizing the Spanish exploitation of Indigenous peoples and argued for their humanity. Despite earlier suggestions to import African slaves, he later became a proponent for the abolition of slavery altogether. In 1542, his efforts, along with others, led to the issuance of New Laws by the king of Spain, aimed at regulating slavery in the colonies. Although he initially supported the African slave trade, he would come to regret this stance, acknowledging the moral contradiction of replacing Indigenous labor with African slavery. Ultimately, Las Casas's journey reflects a complex evolution of thought regarding both Indigenous rights and slavery.
What Are 3 Facts About Bartolome De Las Casas?
Bartolomé de Las Casas, born on 11 November 1484 in Seville, Spain, was a significant figure in the early colonial history of the Americas. Initially a planter on Hispaniola, he sailed with Christopher Columbus on his third voyage and later became the first priest ordained in the Americas in 1510. Over his lifetime, Las Casas dedicated himself to advocating for the indigenous peoples of the New World, condemning their mistreatment by Spanish colonizers. He worked throughout regions including Guatemala, Peru, Cuba, Nicaragua, and Mexico.
As a writer, Las Casas is known for his chronicles documenting the atrocities committed during the colonization, with notable works like "A Short Account of the Destruction of the Indies" and "Historia de Las Indias." These writings highlight the brutal actions of the colonizers against local populations. Las Casas transitioned from a conquistador mindset to becoming a prominent critic of colonization practices, famously dubbing himself the 'Apostle of the Indies.'
His role as a Dominican friar afforded him freedoms which he used to speak openly against social injustices. He argued that indigenous peoples were rational beings with rights, challenging the prevailing views of his time. Las Casas’s relentless efforts exposed the oppression faced by the indigenous communities and marked him as an early social reformer, paving the way for future discussions on human rights in the context of colonialism. He died in July 1566 in Madrid, leaving a legacy as the first great historian of the Americas.
📹 Bartolomé de Las Casas: The Protector of the Indians
In recent years, we’ve become more aware of crimes committed against indigenous peoples. This year, maybe we should …
One of the most important points Las Casas articulated: “Human rights must be universal, or else they are arbitrary.” In other words, if we base our determination of who gets human rights on anything other than being a human organism, then that means that we are applying our personal biases to the application of rights, and we are all in danger of having our rights taken away by people in power. To protect my own rights, I must protect every human being’s rights.
I’m kind of disappointed on this one. The work done by Bartolomé de las Casas didn’t fell on deaf ears. His work, alongside the work of the school of Salamanca, eventually convinced the king to put an end to the encomienda system, and to establish a set of legal principles called “Derecho de Gentes” that is consider a precursor of human rights. Sadly, the king later failed to properly implement these reforms in the Americas, but that doesn’t detract from de las Casas success. That king by the way, was not other than Charles V of Habsburg, called Charles I in Spain.
Despite his failings, Bartolome managed to do something that people nowadays grapple with and so often fail to do: see the wrongs you’ve committed and own up to them, and work to make things right. It’s stories like these that remind me that regardless of who is in power or what twisted ideology is prevalent in the moment in history; all it takes is a single drop to start a ripple.
A clarification for non-Spanish speaking people (Including the EC crew). In Spanish, you don´t “divide” long last names and remove the “de las” part when calling someone by their last name. He is either “Bartolomé de las Casas” or “de las Casas”…. you never say just “las Casas”, as seen several times in this article.
cool, its nice to hear about a guy who was generally concerned about the about the natives back then, granted Bartolomé de las Casas did help to create the African slave trade though to be fair he apparently regretted that too even writing. ” I soon repented and judged myself guilty of ignorance. I came to realize that black slavery was as unjust as Indian slavery… and I was not sure that my ignorance and good faith would secure me in the eyes of God” For all his sins he (for the most part) at lest attempted to look at his fellowman as just that.
Cool fact: Bartolomé de las Casas was the one who helped raised and educate Cacique Guarocuya who would be baptized as Enrique, known as Enriquillo. Enriquillo would go on to fight a 14 year long guerrilla warfare against the Spanish empire, never being beaten. He was trained how to speak in Castilian Spanish, read, write, and the laws a normal Spanish citizen would have. Because of his skill and tactics as well and being difficult to fight as the Spanish Calvary was made useless in the Bahoruco region, he was able to sign an armistice with the king of Spain Charles V where the encomienda system would be abolished and not apply to the Tainos of Modern day Dominican Republic 🇩🇴. Unfortunately, Enriquillo died of tuberculosis after gaining their quasi-independence around 1535 at the age of 40. Today, Dominicans hail him as a national hero and is one of my favorite historic figures of my country 🇩🇴🇩🇴🇩🇴. Hope you guys can do a small article of his story as Padres Las Casas was the only one able to communicate efficiently with Enriquillo and the only Spaniard he trusted.
This story reminds of John Newton, the man who wrote “Amazing Grace”. He was a slave trader who converted to Christianity and became an abolitionist of the African slave trade. He was even a slave himself for the princess of the Shebro people in West Africa for a period of time! I’d love to see a one-off about him!
Yet another person who I’d never heard of, and am so glad I now did. Las Casas, you may have been a flawed man, but when shown the error of your ways, you did what is so difficult for so many of us to do; you repented. You did well for the Lord my friend, and we thank you for your efforts. May your story inspire others to do the right thing, no matter how hard.
I haven’t watched this yet but I’m giddy with excitement. I mean, I actually squealed when I saw this. I have read many of las Casas works, and want to share about this man with my kids but so far there is nothing out there I can show them. I’ve shared many of your other articles with them and am so happy to be able to share this too. So, so freaking happy. This just made my day.
Wait, De las Casas was certainly not alone in his struggle, and his efforts eventually led to the introductions of the Nuevas Leyes (the New Laws), given by Charles V in favor of the indigenous population. Also, bear in mind that while the Spanish colonisation may seem terribly cruel, they at least were concerned and had an official, earnest debate about the validity of theirconquests and the rights that the conquered peoples shoud be afforded. Which is more than can be said of other European colonial powers.
That little bit you put at the end, about everyone being able to change. That hit me hard right now. I haven’t been taking care of myself and am currently trying to change my habits to become a healthier person. Thank you for that. Makes me feel like I can definitely change, especially if someone like De Las Casas could in such a dramatic manner. Thank you guys, EC and Extra History have been my escape for the last few months
That last part is so important, especially today. If someone is willing to make up for their past indiscretions and make an honest effort to repent or fight for reform, their current actions should be applauded and they should be welcomed into the conversation, not shunned and cast out for past wrongdoings.
This reminds me of the life of John Newton, he was an african slaver (he worked and owned slave ships), He eventually did a 180 after joining the anglican clergy and was instrumental in the dismantling of the english slave trade(largely through his friendship with William Wilberforce). You may have heard a song he wrote called Amazing Grace.
I need to point out something. The encomienda was a system, yes, where the conqueror had a priomordial role, though they weren´t necessarily as you mention. The encomiendas weren´t pieces of land that one conqueror owned. The castillian king granted specific groups of native americans to one conqueror. The mission of that was that the encomenderos needed to teach the indigenous people catholicism, and also give them protection. Yes, they could ask for tribute or works from the natives in exchange, and yes, the great majority of the encomenderos abussed this system. That´s why, in 1542, the spanish created the “Leyes Nuevas”, where the encomienda system was restricted and was changed by the repartimientos. Also, with the encomiendas, not all the indigeonous people were treated as workers. The encomenderos created alliances with the local authorities, like having marriages and that kind of stuff. That is, at least, how the encomiendas worked on the New Spain, my now dear country of Mexico. They were basically the same thorugh all the spanish territories in the continent.
I think you guys are looking at this man’s life through a modern lens a little too much here, especially when it comes to his early life. I think that’s causing you to understate how revolutionary this guy was and how radically he tried to redeem himself. At the end of his life this man held social values that wouldn’t be out of place in the modern world – But he wasn’t raised with them like all of us, he arrived at them on his own in the 16’th century and gave up his social status, wealth and safety to promote them. If anyone in history is worth forgiving and celebrating, it’s men like Las Casas.
Dear extra history guys, love all the article’s you make and love them ! there is a dokter from my country’s (am from belgium) called pater damian. He whent to an island full of maroond lepra victems. There he doktert and build a comunety. He secrificed his life fore the Nedee and forgoten end he was made a Saint. I think its a man to be rememberd
As what John Green has said in his Atlantic Slave Trade Infographic article, “…to blame one group is to exonerate others including us”. The clichè that white on black slave, exonerates the other civilizations, leader, ethnicities or nations because the word “slavery” is stuck in being a political rhetoric or excuse for violence. And yes, John Green knew that “slavery” still exist today usually even perpetrated by their own people. We are obliged to study harder the facts of life and our species to fully understand one another.
@Extra Credits, I have loved your website for years but the initial tone of this article caught me off guard. Saying that the oppressor views represented “a majority of Spaniards” in a time (1500s) where the 98% of Castilians and Aragonese people (no “Spaniards” just yet) were farming serfs with no opinion whatsoever and subjugated to a feudal regime is just feeding some sort of “black legend” that equates all Spaniards of that time with evil blood thirsty fanatics. Nothing to do with reality. The fascinating thing, in fact, is that debates about human rights were taking place so early in the University of Salamanca in the middle of the 16th century in Europe (and its conclusions becoming imperial law) even if back then enforcement was so feeble because of distances (3-4 months just to send a message to the American colonies), cultural background of feudal roots (nobility saw everybody else as serfs), administrative weaknesses and a long list of failed initiatives to protect the natives. Much worse, the spread of Eurasian diseases was a cataclysm for Amerindian populations. But the beginning of the article could have been more neutral. We know nothing, John Snow, about what the majority of Spanish serfs thought about the status of the Amerindian populations… and I doubt they knew anything at all about their existence, looks or nature to have any sort of opinion. P.S. I was surprised you failed to mention the 1512 Laws of Burgos protecting indigenous peoples: en.wikipedia.
Political perspective is important It seems effortless today to be anti-war, anti-slavery, or anti-racist. If anything, being an advocate of such sins would be more difficult today due to both the social and legal repercussions. Obviously being pro-slavery today is effectively impossible without being in a criminal syndicate, and owning a business that abuses its workers even slightly can lead to fines and potentially arrest. But when the world is different, the taboos are different. I never knew about Casas before today but his story is an excellent example of just why such ‘modern’ ideas were not established in past governments: it was not from a lack of voices, it was because both the people and the government were resistant to such change and mostly ignored the voices.
The narrative that conversion is bad for indigenous people, even when made peacefully, is always made by 1) non-Christian Amerindians or 2) non-Christian Westerns. Those two parties are the opposite of neutral in this discussion. They are in direct competition with Christianity over what values guides their comunities. Are Europeans mad they have been converted? Are Mexicans mad they have been converted? Of course, this question might seem nonsensical – of course one would not regret that their ancestors took a certain path that made you be what you are… but this makes the accusation of conversion being destructive equally nonsensical. Conversion to Christianity “destroyed” the original cultures of Europe and America as much as a change towards secularism is “destroying” our own Western culture right now. As a final note, I recommend y’all research about the Povos das Missões in South America and how they defended their own Christian and Amerindian legacy against the military and economic interests of Spain and Portugal.
I think focusing on de las Casas “changing his mind” is missing the point. He didn’t just change his mind, he decided to eschew the benefits of an oppressive system that benefited him because it was wrong. The encomienda holders weren’t just stubborn racists, they made their money off of slavery and stolen land, and held up a racist belief system because they could use it to justify their profits. The racism is used to justify the slavery and colonialism. Sure, some of them could be like de las Casas and reject slavery when they realized it was wrong, but the majority of them wouldn’t change their mind until the material benefits of slavery was taken away from them by force.
8:27 If de las Casas (which is how his last name should be said, not “las Casas”) had argued otherwise, he would’ve found his thumbs getting screwed in by an inquisitor in a dungeon. One of Spain’s colonial objectives was to evangelize non-Christian peoples, and de las Cases, being a priest, was part of that. Even if he didn’t agree, this was frankly his best shot to ensure that indigenous peoples were at the very least treated equally to a Christian Spanish peasant.
Interesting. In Portugal a priest that “followed” (meaning, had the same beliefs but lived in the 1600s) Bartolomeu de las Casas, Father Antonio Vieira, had his statue vandalized because, as they said, he saw himself as a Christian saviour and the native Americans as pure, like children, who could and should be saved. One day this is a crime. Another day this is a YouTube article with an awesome reception. Makes you think about nuance and context. I do believe that if you truly believe X, then you shouldn’t be judged on non believers standards in the case that both have the same final objetive: to treat native Americans as humans (even tho that salvation might be the end of the native’s culture, by acculturation.
It’s sad to think that even now, indigenous people face similar treatment the world over. Colonialism never truly went away; it just got a new PR department. Even in so called civilized democracies like the US, Canada, Australia, Brazil and others, native people are ignored, displaced and actively killed in some cases (just look at what uncontacted Amazonian tribes are facing under Bolsonaro).
Just to note a point of confusion, the book of Ecclesiastes mentioned here is different than the one found in the canonical Bible. This book is sometimes differentiated by the name of Ecclesiasticus and is part of what is considered the Apocrypha. This is not to discredit the verse’s impact on las Casas life, but just to prevent confusion from Christians who only know the canonical Book of Ecclesiastes with only 12 chapters.
This has a wonderful message – even those you consider the most morally hideous (slave owners, perpetrators, etc) are still human and still capable of change for the better. I vote we make Bartolome de las Casas the patron saint of human rights and social justice because he represents the process of becoming better rather than simply embodying an impossible perfect standard
“It ought to be remembered that there is nothing more difficult to take in hand, more perilous to conduct, or more uncertain in its success, than to take the lead in the introduction of a new order of things. Because the innovator has for enemies all those who have done well under the old conditions, and lukewarm defenders in those who may do well under the new. This coolness arises partly from fear of the opponents, who have the laws on their side, and partly from the incredulity of men, who do not readily believe in new things until they have had a long experience of them.” ― Niccolò Machiavelli, The Prince
0:11 – The man that Las Cases debated against was named Juan Ginés de Sepúlveda, a Renaissance humanist and an Aristotelian philosopher. Sources on the Valladolid Debate all mention him, so his name would be easy to find. I can only conclude you intentionally chose not to refer to him by name for whatever reason. 8:27 – So what? If a conversion effort is peaceful and non-coercive then all it amounts to is presenting a sales pitch to people and letting them make their own decision. Indigenous people are adults; arguing that missionaries needed to be kept away from indigenous communities “for their own good” is grossly paternalistic.
Some of the lessons we get from people like him are, that often the people who harmed people and committed this are the one’s who realise their wrong doing, while this who didn’t see it don’t care. And that no one has to be perfect and do everything always right, to decide to change something for the better
Changing your mind is hard, and the first impulse is always to mock or attack anybody who tries to influence you to do so. But if you actually want to improve as a human being instead of stagnating, you have to listen to those dissidents and their views. Then, if you still think they’re ridiculous you’re free to dismiss them, but only after actually scrutinising both their arguments and your own. Societal progress has never been achieved by people putting their fingers into their ears and pretending their stance was the only right one. It is very sad that after millennia of written history the vast majority of people still have not grasped that concept and would rather die on the hills of their antiquatd and egocentrical views than to allow change to happen.
Some today condemn Las Casas cultural imperialism without having made his immense personal sacrifices and benefitting from the world colonialism created. Las Casas rejected compelled conversion and said that the right the rights of non-Christians who would not convert had to be respected. His ideas and commitment to meek came directly from his Christian faith. Cardinal Cisneros and King Charles found him convincing for that very reason. Unfortunately, even the Church and the King could not control settlers who were so very far away then and powerfully motivated by the prospect of making fortunes for themselves if they freed themselves from the constraints those institutions wanted to impose on their exploitation of native peoples.
It is interesting that it wasn’t witnessing atrocities, but a religious experience, that made Las Casas change his mind. It makes me think about how society almost acts like it “discovered” moral truths the same way people discover electricity or invent the printing press. But it also throws a wrench in the idea that people can’t be judged in the past by modern standards because there were plenty of voices against slavery who were simply ignored (first and foremost, the enslaved).
The man was a priest, who came to change his mind on what we understand to be evil BECAUSE of his faith… if that faith informed him of right and wrong (which it clearly did), then he would certainly continue to try and spread that belief to all around him. This would change their culture, absolutely! Just because a culture exists, it doesn’t mean it shouldn’t change… I’m sure the Native American tribes who existed around the Aztec were pretty glad when the daily human sacrifices ended… even if it meant the Aztec culture (gasp!) changed!
Thank You for highlighting Christianities role in the rise in the human rights movement. I’m not a Christian, but it’s a shame we don’t teach it in Schools. For example the early anti-Slavery activists in England would be described today as religious fundamentalist. That early fights for human rights and liberty were largely driven by protestant denominations who sought religious freedom and ultimately legal equality. It’s also from Christianity especially the English branches of Christianity the idea that all men are equal before God and ultimately our modern concept of human rights form. It often feels like this history gets glossed over in Schools.
Im Puerto Rican, and Bartolome de las Casas was an esential part of our history classes and cultural background, but i never knew most of his deeds.Most of what we are taught that he was a monk that advocated about the rights of Native slaves. But this article help me learn more about thd man, Thank you!
If you read Colon’s diaries, he was already thinking of the native americans as a potential SUBJECTS of the crown for the king and queen that had paid for his quests and that was he reported. The whole full slavery thing was always more of a protestant thing that what you could see catholic kings doing.
No wait, this is false, his speeches did not fall on deaf ears. The Spanish crown listened and made “Las leyes de burgos” and then the Spanish crown even took it a step further and made “The new laws” further solidifying the equal treatment of natives, the Spanish crown even went as far as crushing rebellions that went in favor of the encomienda systems in the new world (such as in Peru). The pope even made a bull declaring that Native Americans were people equal to that of Europe, and almost went as far as ex-communicating people who were in favor of poor treatment of natives. This article is not well researched, man. Please re-do this article.
Really makes you think how many people fully understand what they’re doing while they’re doing it, just like Bartolomé before supposedly reading that passage. How many people are fighting for an idea of something they don’t fully understand, regardless of what it is? Always be willing to change your mind when new information shows itself.
We are all going through a similar situation now. We have treated thinking, feeling sentient beings as possessions, benefiting personally and financially from their misery and death. We do not question that system of cruelty and treat any efforts to open our eyes to the moral inequity with scorn and mockery. I am of course speaking of animal exploitation. The belief that if someone looks, thinks, and feels differently enough from yourself, they can be treated as a disposable object.
Interesting fact in California when the US took over the encomienda system virtually continued under a new system called peonage where they made it a crime not to be working and used it to force indigenous people into force labor. Children were taken from their parents to be made servants. Working conditions for Natives was much worse under California State law than under the prior Spanish rule and those who didn’t comply were regularly hunted down and killed. If I remember correctly under the roughly 250 year Spanish/Mexican rule the Native population was halved from over 400,000 to less than 200,000 under the encomiendas. During the first 50 years, or so California was a US territory and state that population dropped to less than 20,000 under peonage. It was partly due to the peonage system California wasn’t a slave state cause they already had slave labor. It’s probably one of the few incidents if not the only one that pretty much fit the UN definition of genocide.
Fun fact: the reason Barty here took so long to cave in for Africans and not Natives was because of the prevailing Christian hypothesis that Noah’s three sons were destined to have their children live different outcomes. One to slavery, one to freedom, and one to rule. Before Native Americans were known about it was assumed Africans, Europeans, and Asians were these three different lineages. Then they discovered America existed with a huge expanse of giant cities like the Inca and Aztec (unfallterinng native language name since no one liked the Aztec for their violent theology). Europe assumed that they must have gotten there from Asia somehow plus they seemed really smart, so naturally they slapped them into the “free” lineage. This is why Bart was more easily able to give them freedom because Christian debate already assumed that they should be free. However thinking Africans should be free would go against Christian thought of the time meaning that to fight on that front would not only lead to internal conflict with his own religious identity but would also conflict much more dramatically with the already (generalization) color hating population.
The absolute balls to use Memento Mori against slave owners on their death beds, you have to admire it. The man was a devout christian, and while I’m not anywhere near the same faith, I can’t imagine it was easy for him to essentially condemn souls like that to an all-but-certain hell according to his beliefs. Even if he was completely certain and steadfast in his path, which he would have to have been, you can grieve without regretting. It’s one hell of a power move, and incredibly badass, but he seems like the type to be all too aware that a power move requires the wielding of power, and the responsibilities that come with it.
A topic that you guys mind find interesting is the “German Peasant’s War” which stirred as soon as 1495 and exploded in 1525. One of the leaders, Thomas Müntzer, assisted the movement in writing one of the first letter of “rights of the people” qnd is a very interesting character, if you guys want to do it character driven.
Here in Latinamerica during elementary and highschool, we study more what happened with the Spanish empire instead of what they study in the US about the British empire. In those years I remember this was bring taught, but I have zero recollection about it. The names and terms ring a powerful bell though.
Las Casas wasn’t altogether unsuccessful. Near the end of his life he managed to convince King Charles V (Charles 1 of Spain) to create the Council of Indies to oversee and prevent abuses of natives. It was in part due to rulings by the Council of Indies regarding natives that the conquistadors finally decided to start massively importing Africans as slaves. It was less of a legal hassle for them. Not a perfect victory, but it might have been the key factor that spared Native Americans from going extinct in Spanish America. It was also under Las Casas influence that Spain produced the first European bill to protect human rights of colonial natives. It would be well over a century before other nations finally adopted rulings based on the Spanish model. The rights granted were meager by modern standards, but it was way better than the prior status quo.
I don’t know if de Las Casas should be held up in such a regard. He is one of the reasons that African slaves were brought to the Americans. He argued that the Native Americans did not have the opportunity to convert to Christianity, thus did not deserve this treatment. They still had a chance to convert. Africans, on the other hand, had been exposed to Christianity for centuries without converting. De Las Casas and other contemporaries believed that since Africans had chosen to no follow Christianity, they were morally justified to enslave them. Not exactly the same as advocating for human rights.
To be fair we eventually (and not much later than bartolome´s time ) ended up implementing rights for the natives in america, and seeing what happened to the indians in the english and later usa parts of america…well. You just have to make comparisons on how many indians are left on each part of the world
If las Casas were alive today and reached the same conclusions and changed his mind, people would still be digging up his beliefs from before as a means to discredit him. The inability to accept that people can change is probably our society’s biggest problem right now that keeps us from moving forward. The idea of changing your mind when presented with new facts just seems so foreign to people…
Small correction about maps (pesky nitpick again) The Kingdom of Spain didn’t exist when Las Casas was born, indeed, Aragon and Castille-Leon did not even exist in a personal union yet. The Kingdom of Spain also never existed concurrently with an independent Navarre, that fell to Castillian troops in 1507.
OK, now that I’ve watched this I’m still really happy they did this…though sad in a article that champions changing your mind, that they had to make a dig at conversion, which is the act of changing your mind on religion. I realize that conversion changes culture, but so long as it’s not forced or coerced conversion, that is the choice of the people in that culture, and respecting culture includes respecting those choices.
People can change, but only if they feel like they will be accepted by the people they used to disagree with. When it becomes impossible to look at someone by what they are saying and doing now because of what they said and did in the past, it becomes impossible for people to change. Not only that people become pushed further and further to the extremes.
It is also important to note that de las Casas copied Columbus’s journal, and the original was lost. It is not at all unreasonable to suggest that this casts a cloud of doubt on much of what we today believe its contents to be. De las Casas may well have inserted or exaggerated things for propaganda purposes — using Columbus as a scaffold on which to display all the wrongs of Spanish colonialism, even where Columbus did not participate (e.g. Columbus did not start the slave trade) or outright opposed the brutality (e.g. Columbus was removed from his governorship and put in prison for punishing Spaniards for mistreating the Natives). (for this, and several other reasons, almost everything everybody thinks they know about Columbus is either outright false or very much in doubt)
The Taino(The Natives occupying the Islands of Hispanola, Jamaica, Cuba and Puerto Rico) were completly wiped out in the Caribbean as a result of Spanish enslavement policies such as the encomienda, with the few that survived fleeing to the mountains and intermarrying esacped slaves, forming the first Maroon settlements. A real shame to see such a peaceful people and interesting culture destroyed.
Hay un error importante, las leyes nuevas prohíben las encomiendas y cambian el sistema represivo 10 años antes del debate con Sepúlveda. El debate fue más bien una respuesta a las leyes por parte de los encomenderos. No siguió todo igual luego de la abolición de las encomiendas, los sistemas posteriores eran mucho más complejos y vinculados al poder de la corona.
This is who we should rededicate Columbus day to (The Oatmeal made that suggestion of all places). Columbus day was originally thought up to acknowledge a heroic figure in Italian culture to placate Italian Americans back when they were more openly mistreated and marginalized group (alone with other Catholic groups). I am so against Native People’s Day because, like Columbus Day before it, its a hollow gesture meant to make up for crappy social treatment. De las Casas could mean so much more to many more people. He sends transcending messages too: It is never to late to be better to people. It is alright to change your mind about an idea or the way things are done (He was still a good monk and loyal to Spain, he just started seeing a real problem and wanted to fix it.) Read (all that because he read one bible passage…) People will keep changing (he left out the enslaved Africans only to start considering the Africans too.)
Nice to see you talking about this man, though you know what would be cool. How about a Extra Credits article about Alexander Humboldt, one of the first scientists to discuss climate change, discovered thousands of new species in South America, and was regarded as the second most famous man in Europe after Napoleon.
I wonder if other civilizations had their own Las Casas… Did an Aztec priest spoke on behalf the Tlaxcalans and other people subjugated by the Aztec Empire? Did an Inca priest condemned Pachacuti and Tupac Yupanqui actions against other Andean tribes? Did a Japanese Kannushi (Shinto priest) spoke out against the Invasion of Korea, in 1592? Did an Orthodox monk defended the peoples from Siberia against the Russian march to the east? Did an Islamic Iman tried to convince that the invasion of India whas immoral? Did a Nordic Skald (bard) made songs against the pillage of churches by the Vikings?
this is wikitionary defination of encomienda: “history, uncountable) A system in Spain and, later and more extensively, in Spanish colonies, in which the right to exploit the labour of certain groups of subject people (initially, Muslims, during the Reconquista) was granted to conquerors; servitude within this system.”
Meanwhile the Philippines as a colony: Slavery? Oh you mean the Africans we buy from the Portuguese illegally????? Unknown to many but the Philippines was a Spanish colony that straight up avoided slavery for it’s entire colonial history due to a Papal Bull. Natives couldn’t be enslaved but the rich still found ways to bring in slaves from the Portuguese. However locals(particularly tribes) still had a tradition of enslaving people so in the end it only worked to the degree where if you were in Spanish controlled areas of the Philippines and not African(since there were no laws whatsoever in that regard). Which means Muslim Mindanao was still enslaving people. But it is surprising to see how slavery in the Philippines got abolished due to a Papal Bull and was followed through to the point where slavery in a legal sense was gone for the most part, earlier then the Russians with serfdom and Americans with actual legal slavery in the South. Also here’s an article about the Papal Bull: philstar.com/opinion/2006/04/18/332087/today-past
In order to cease campaigns of conversion, he would have to have renounced his faith, because if you truly believe in God, Heaven, Hell, sin, etc. then if you care about other people you want to see them go to Heaven, to know the Truth. Otherwise, had he not supported conversions, it would show he either didn’t actually care about others or that he didn’t truly believe in his religion.
I wold realy love to get your sources fr these articles. I love what you do and I am think you give a very good insight to these historical events. But I would love even more to read some of your source material. both becous I know you try to make your articles about the most inportent aspects of your topics to make them as entertaning and informative as possible. And because I am currently a student ho is releaing a great deal on my “Enthusiasem for the subject” to get a good grade. And therefore need to list (in the ayes of my teachers) more credible sources. Wich I know you guys have faund meany of on different subjects.
So being a Catholic country helped to avoid slavery, nobody expected Bartolomé de las Casas! by the way, Leyes of Burgos was implemented in 1512, after that, Leyes Nuevas in 1542, who actually made everybody part of the Spanish Empire and not of a colony. There is always this problem with american people that you just don´t get that there were other european contries like Spain that didn´t make slavery the base of the economy, that forbid it centuries before USA or UK andmore importantly, married the people from there and make mixed new culture like you can see every latino country. Something you can`t find in every English colony like USA, where native people was killed and their culture almost destroyed
Las Casas, as a Dominican Friar had the support of his order, the Dominicans order was running the inquisition, they were the KGB of the Catholic church the inquisitor in Chief Torquemada was no joke, he had himself tortured to satisfies himself that a true believer would hold under torture he did and concluded that it was all right when the Jews offered a large sum to the king and queen to lessen their oppression, he accused them in their face of being Judas and traitor to the faith the man was a tough guy, he also was of a converted Jewish family