In the late fifteenth century, 1492, the Americas were discovered. What was to be a year later, the first "so-called" Christians settled on a plentiful island called Hispaniola. The Spaniards, as they were called, then systematically proceeded to slaughter the native people of "New Spain" and also devastate and depopulate the land.
Following the discovery of the Americas, the Spaniards began to journey to the new land on the pretence of spreading the word of God. However, they intentionally failed to accomplish this task. The motivations of these barbaric men were not divinely inspired; on the contrary, their grounds were purely egoistic. The Spaniards began their carnage on, compared to what was to come, a light note. They took native "women and children both as servants and to satisfy their own base appetites." (Las Casas, Pg.14) Later they recognised that gold was in abundance and opted to massacre the native tribes in order to get it.
World map depicting America
The habit of the Dominicans is black and white.
English: ImageThe Spaniards began to slowly annihilate the Indies with many sorts of torturous tactics. During this horrific process they also chose to enslave substantial amounts of natives. One could argue that the Spaniards viewed the Indians as an inferior race that was placed on earth to serve the superior race: the Europeans. This can be argued effectively because the Christians had no regard whatsoever for the Native's humanity. The Spaniards literally treated dogs with more dignity than they did with the Indians.
The "Defender and Apostle to the Indians" (xiii), Bartolome de Las Casas, did not represent the same views as the Spaniards. "Las Casas's entire life was dedicated to demonstrating the truth of [the atrocities], first to his king, then to the royal administration- the Council of the Indies- and then to the world at large." (xvii) Las Casas believed...