Primary Sources: Bartolome de Las Casas

In the excerpt below, de Las Casas speaks of the beginning of Spanish atrocities (mistreatment) on the island of Hispaniola. Pay attention to how the Spaniards viewed the inhabitants of Hispaniola, how the Indigenous people originally viewed the Spanish, and why the Natives’ perceptions changed.

“In this Island, which the Spaniards first landed, the bloody slaughter and destruction of Men first began: they violently forced away Women and Children to make them Slaves, and ill-treated them, consuming and wasting their Food, which they had made with great sweat, and toil. One individual Spaniard ate more food in one day, than would serve to maintain Three Families of ten people for a Month. Now being oppressed by such evil, and afflicted with such great torments and violent treatment they (the indigenous people)began to understand that such Men were not on a Mission from Heaven. Some of them hid their food for their Wives and Children in holes, but some, to avoid the dreadful temper of the Spaniards, sought their Refuge [safety] on the tops of Mountains.
The Spaniards abused them with wicked blows with clubs, and laid violent hands also on the people there. They began to consider how they might expel the Spaniards out of their Country, and immediately took up Arms. But, good God, what Arms, do you imagine? Namely such weapons that resemble sticks and tall grass. None of which could rival the Spaniard’s weaponry might. The Spaniards soon mounted their Steeds [horses], well weaponed with Lances and Swords, begin to exercise their bloody Butcheries overrunning their Cities and Towns, sparring no age, nor gender….”

What did the Spanish do to the Indigenous population?

How did the people come to view the Spanish? How is this different from how they viewed them before?

How did the Natives respond to the Spanish cruelty?

Once the Spaniards realized that the Natives were resisting, what did they do?

What do you think the goal of de Las Casas was in writing this account?