Bartolome de Las Casas was a 16th century Spanish colonist and historian who became known as the "Defender of the Indians" for his advocacy on behalf of indigenous peoples in the Americas. The student's paper analyzes Las Casas's life and motivation for defending native populations when it was an unpopular position among other Spaniards. Key points examined include Las Casas's witnessing of early mistreatment of natives, his renouncing of his family's holdings and decision to become a priest, and his lifelong efforts to promote human rights for indigenous groups through writings and appeals to Spanish authorities. The student concludes that Las Casas's religious beliefs and refusal to accept cruel treatment of innocent people motivated him to become
2. THESIS
• What was Las Casas’s motivation to become a defender, and why did he make this choice
when it was not popular with his people (Spaniards)?
• For my early Latin American history final project I have decided to focus on the life and
legacy of Bartolome de Las Casas. I chose this topic because I found it really interesting
that while most other Spaniards were hateful and careless towards Native Americans,
Las Casas served as a social reformer and was seen as the “Defender of the Native
Americans.” Not only was he a social reformer, he was also a Spanish colonist and a
historian, which makes his role in history that much more interesting. I hope to learn
more about all of the actions Las Casas took to earn himself the title of “Defender of the
Indians”, why he felt the need to complete these actions and the long-lasting legacy he
has achieved through his actions.
3. BARTOLOME DE LAS CASAS, DEFENDER OF
THE NATIVE AMERICANS
• Author: Christopher Minster
• Summary: The blog speaks about Las Casas’s early life, experiments and legacy. He was about 9 years old when
Columbus returned from his first voyage, and may have met some of the Taino’s that Columbus brought back. Las
Casas’s father and uncle sailed with Columbus on the second voyage, and created family ties, becoming quite wealthy in
Hispaniola. Las Casas even edited some of Columbus’s travel journals. Las Casas excelled in Latin studies, and his
strong academic background served him for years to come. On his first trip to the Americas, he witnessed the horrible
mistreatment the natives suffered and it had a lasting impression on him. Las Casas traveled to Spain and back several
times taking note of the treatment of the Natives and by 1514 decided he could no longer be in a family that exploits the
natives, so he renounced his family holdings on Hispaniola. Speaks of the Verapaz Experiment he conducted in 1537 to
show that Natives are not violent and are instead peaceful. Speaks of his overall legacy and his idea that it was God’s
plan to introduce Natives to the New World to see how merciful Spaniards are, and that the Spaniards are disappointing
God.
• Evaluation: I feel as though the source is credible, because it is a blog from ThoughtCo. and only informative blogs with
accurate sources are accepted to published on the site due to the site guidelines. Christopher Minster is also a literature
professor and writer who teaches at the Universidad San Francisco De Quito in Ecuador.
4. LAS CASAS, BARTOLOME DE (1474-1566)
• Author: Encyclopedia of the Early Modern World Authors and Editors
• Summary: This article focuses on Las Casas whole life, his realizations and
accomplishments. Discusses Las Casas’s first voyage to the New World to manage the
land that Columbus gave his father. In 1507 Las Casas became a priest in Rome and
publicly denounced the treatment of the Natives. Speaks of his pleads to King Ferdinand
II to free the natives and his title of priest procurator of the Indies in 1516. Speaks of his
written works and the several efforts he put forth to enforce human rights.
• Evaluation: This source is credible because it involves the use of both primary and
secondary sources. Popularly used encyclopedia intended for teachers and scholars to
use.
5. THE OATMEAL BLOG, BARTOLOME DE LAS
CASAS
• Author: Howard Zinn and James W. Loewen
• Summary: The blog focuses on why Christopher Columbus should not be praised on
Columbus day and why it should be Las Casas who is praised. Uncovers the truth about
the Taino's discovering the New World way before Columbus and the extreme
mistreatment, enslaving, raping and massacring of their population by Columbus and
his expedition group of Spaniards. Authors compare Columbus to Las Casas,
emphasizing that while Columbus spent years mistreating Natives, Las Casas spent 50
years fighting for their equality, earning the title “Defender of the Indians.”
• Evaluation: The blog is a credible source because it states that authors used primary
sources such as eyewitness accounts, journal entries, and letters from Columbus himself.
6. BARTOLOME DE LAS CASAS, AN EARLY
HUMAN RIGHTS WORKER
• Author: Michael Curtotti
• Summary: Focuses on the way that Las Casas used his office as Dominican friar and later bishop
to uphold the rights of the indigenous peoples. He was influenced by a group of Dominican
preachers led by Antonio De Montesinos, who spoke out against Spaniards about their horrible
treatment of the Natives and the resources they drained from the population. Las Casas involved
himself in a military campaign in Cuba, where he was awarded a slave, and he immediately freed
the slave he was given. He collects information about the abuse of human rights in order to report
them to authorities.
• Evaluation: This is a credible website because each article written is accompanied by various
sources, including both primary and secondary sources. It is also a .org website, meaning it is part
of an organization that looks to provide learning materials to all scholars. It also has a mailing list,
meaning that many people use and trust this source.
7. BARTOLOME DE LAS CASAS AND 500
YEARS OF RACIAL INJUSTICE
• Author: Dani Anthony
• Summary: This article speaks out about the 500-year anniversary of the human rights
acts proposed by Las Casas. Tells about Las Casas’s bold move to give up his land
holdings and any slaves on his land in order to travel back to his homeland in Spain in
1515 to petition the Spanish crown to stop the abuses that European colonists were
inflicting on Indigenous peoples. Tells about his famous writing “Short Account of the
Destruction of the Indies”, and the ideas for human rights it held. Speaks of how he
advocated to abolish slavery as well as establish self governance of Indigenous groups.
• Evaluation: This source is credible because it is published by the history departments at
Ohio State University and Miami University, making it a .edu website used as a tool for
educational learning. Website also features teacher tools, eBooks, and a mailing list.
8. A SHORT ACCOUNT OF THE DESTRUCTION
OF THE INDIES
• Author: Bartolome De Las Casas
• Summary: Official writing of Las Casas, which showcases his point of view on the evil acts centered
towards Indigenous groups in the Indies as he presents to Lord Prince of all the Spains don Felipe
in the Court of Spain. He addressed his fifty plus years of observing the horrible treatments the
tribes have received and the rules that they are breaking in God’s eyes and the eyes of the Church.
Compares Spaniards to “fierce wolves, tigers and lions who have gone many days without food or
nourishment.” He speaks of how he cannot fathom why Spaniards are so capable of such intense
cruelty.
• Evaluation: This is a credible source because it is a primary document made up of excerpts from a
famous writing written by Las Casas himself, written in 1542 and published in 1552. It has been
posted on the National Humanities Center, which is a trustable organization providing primary
sources.
9. BARTOLOME DE LAS CASAS QUOTES
• Author: Bartolome De Las Casas/ A-Z Quotes
• Summary: Website features top eleven quotes written by Bartolome De Las Casas.
Showcase his hatred for the unjust treatment of slaves and Indigenous groups, and the
many ways these acts of cruelty have violated the life God wishes for people to live and
the kindness he wishes for people to have towards one another. His quotes also focus on
the importance of mankind taking care of each other, and those who have committed
several sins asking to be saved.
• Evaluation: I thoroughly enjoyed this source, as it featured wonderful words of wisdom
from the peaceful and legendary Las Casas. I would consider it to be credible, as it uses
Las Casa’s own influential words and covers his thoughts in an organized and
interesting manner.
10. CONCLUSION
What was Las Casas’s motivation to become a defender, and why did he make this choice when it was not
popular with his people (Spaniards)?
To revisit my research question, upon digging into several sources and conducting my research about the
efforts set forth by Las Casas and his internal belief systems, I have come to the conclusion that Las Casas
was simply not as desensitized to the inhumane acts enforced towards Natives and slaves as his people.
While even his own father had strong ties with Columbus and had similar beliefs as Columbus towards
Natives and slaves, Las Casas saw right through these ideals and upon further investigation realized that
it is truly evil to treat an innocent population of people the way they were being treated. Las Casas’s strong
hold on his spiritual beliefs in God as a Dominican friar also aided him in his knowledge that God does not
want His people to be treated with inequalities and that He wants there to be peace on Earth and good will
to men. He even challenged Spaniards with the idea that if they are so set on converting others to
Christianity/Catholicism they are not truly godly themselves due to the horrible acts they are committing
towards innocent individuals. I will always think of Las Casas as a human rights advocate and influential
man of this time period, and will gladly celebrate Las Casas day over Columbus day every year for the rest
of my life!
11. WORKS CITED
• Minster, Christopher. "Bartolome de Las Casas, Defender of Native Americans." ThoughtCo, Sep. 20, 2018, thoughtco.com/bartolome-de-
las-casas-2136332.
• "Las Casas, Bartolomé De (1474–1566)." Europe, 1450 to 1789: Encyclopedia of the Early Modern World. . Encyclopedia.com. 3 Dec.
2018<https://www.encyclopedia.com>.
• Zinn, Howard, and James W Loewen. “Christopher Columbus Was Awful (but This Other Guy Was Not).” The Oatmeal,
theoatmeal.com/comics/columbus_day.
• Curtotti, Michael. “Bartolome De Las Casas: An Early Human Rights Worker.” Beyond Foreignness, 13 Feb. 2011,
beyondforeignness.org/1034.
• Anthony, Dani. July 2015: Bartolome De Las Casas and 500 Years of Racial Injustice, Ohio State University & Miami University, July
2015, origins.osu.edu/milestones/july-2015-bartolom-de-las-casas-and-500-years-racial-injustice.
• De Las Casas, Bartolome. “A Short Account of the Destruction of the Indies.” National Humanities Center, 1552,
nationalhumanitiescenter.org/pds/amerbegin/contact/text7/casas_destruction.pdf.
• De Las Casas, Bartolome. “TOP 11 QUOTES BY BARTOLOME DE LAS CASAS.” A-Z Quotes, www.azquotes.com/author/30091-
Bartolome_de_las_Casas.
