(a) How does Bartolomé de Las Casas describe initial and ongoing contacts between the Spanish and native peoples? Your response should be 4-6 sentences in length.
(b) What motivations does Las Casas ascribe to Spanish conquerors and settlers? Your response should be 4-6 sentences in length.
(c) How do you think the goals of the Spanish shaped their relations with and treatment of native peoples? Your response should be 4-6 sentences in length.
(a) To understand how Bartolomé de Las Casas describes the initial and ongoing contacts between the Spanish and native peoples, one should refer to his work "A Short Account of the Destruction of the Indies." Las Casas portrays the Spanish arrival in the New World as devastating for the indigenous populations. He describes how the natives were subjected to mass killings, enslavement, forced labor, and torture by the Spanish conquerors. Las Casas insists that these acts were motivated by the greed of the Spanish, who sought to extract wealth and exploit the native peoples for their own gain. He emphasizes the brutal treatment of the natives, portraying it as a tragic and inhumane consequence of Spanish colonization.
(b) Las Casas ascribes various motivations to Spanish conquerors and settlers in his work. He argues that the main motivation behind their actions was the pursuit of wealth and power. The Spanish were driven by a desire to acquire as much gold and other resources from the New World as possible. Las Casas also highlights the religious zeal of the Spanish, who believed in the conversion of the native populations to Christianity. However, he criticizes their approach, as they often used force and coercion rather than genuine missionary efforts. Additionally, Las Casas suggests that the Spanish conquerors saw themselves as superior to the native peoples, considering them to be savages and objects to be conquered and enslaved.
(c) The goals of the Spanish shaped their relations with and treatment of native peoples in significant ways. The Spanish viewed the New World primarily as a source of wealth and resources, which influenced their interactions with the native populations. They sought to exploit the native labor and extract valuable resources like gold and silver. This resulted in the enslavement, forced labor, and mistreatment of the indigenous peoples. Additionally, the Spanish sought to spread Christianity and convert the natives, often using violent means to impose their religious beliefs. Their desire for dominance and control over the territory led to the displacement, subjugation, and decimation of the native populations. The Spanish viewed the native peoples as obstacles to overcome in their pursuit of power and wealth, rather than as equal partners or inhabitants of the land.