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A Brief Account of the Destruction of the Indies
In 1542, after years of witnessing Indian suffering and slavery, Bartolome de Las Casas wrote this indictment against European exploitation and mistreatment of the native peoples of the New World. The document was dedicated to Prince Philip of Spain and appeared in published form in 1552. It carries all the urgency of a moment in history when it still seemed possible to re...more
Paperback, 88 pages
Published
August 28th 2007
by Echo Library
(first published 1974)
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A must read only because it's a classic and an important historical document. de las Casas intended to write a legal and moral argument, 16th century style, detailing the murder and mayhem perpetrated by the Spanish Conquistadors in the Antilles (Caribbean islands, coastal Mexico, Central and South America)from Columbus's landfall in 1492 until the middle of the next century. But I knew that already. I didn't need to read this book to find that out. De las Casas's prose style is repetitive and n...more
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This book is something of a controversy amongst us caribbean latinos: some see it as a living testament to the atrocities and cruelties our Spanish ancestors inflicted on the natives in the Spanish quest and greed for gold in the New World; others have viewed it as pure propaganda, biased accounts and outright lies. I haven't really taken a position on this, but I can say that this had to have been the most disturbing book I have read. Told from the account of a Spanish colonizer who went to H...more
Awesome and slightly racist account of the Spanish colonization of the west indies. I say SLIGHTLY racist because if you've ready anything by Sepulveda you know what real racism sounds like! Las Casas was more...naive. He is anti-slavery with Indians in the new world (Africans, however, are another story!) and bemoans the Spanish treatment of the natives of Hispaniola, San Juan, Cuba and Mexico. However, he does it in a way that only a 16th century bleeding heart can...he practically ADMITS that...more
De las Casas does a great job of presenting his account of the genocide of the new world in a way in which all the literate people of his time could appreciate. First, there's the humanistic aspect- usually peaceful men, women and children are being savagely slaughtered by the millions. Secondly, he presents his interest as a clergyman- people are being slaughtered without being given the chance to find God and even those who do accept Christ are killed anyway since the Spaniards kill everyone...more
As historians and critics we try always to interpret documents in the context of the times out of which they were produced. We recognise that dominant ideologies in other cultures and other times were very different from our own. But then a rare and very different voice speaks to us, demonstrating that the dominant opinions were not the only ones, that there were a few rare minds interpreting their own times in ways we recognise. Such a voice is that of de Las Casas. He was a Spanish colonist...more
Horrifically detailed account of the enslaving of the Native Americans by the Spaniards. Non-fiction. Be careful - not for the faint of heart. I understand it was a huge expose in Europe when it was published several hundred years ago and led to the Pope banning the enslavement of Native Americans because they were declared to "have a soul." Hence, Africans were imported because they were still conveniently "soul-less."
Brevsima relacin de la destruccin de las Indias es un texto en realidad largusimo, de muchas muchas pginas donde el autor no se cansa de describir las atrocidades que cometieron los delincuentes espaoles que invadieron Amrica para apoderarse de todas sus riquezas. No contentos con robar y destruir, se dedicaron a infringir dolor y sufrimiento a todos los nativos. En cinco aos torturaron y asesinaron a ms de 80 millones de nativos. 80 Millones! Eso es mucho ms que los 6 millones de judios de la s...more
As a member of crew on one of Columbus’ voyages to the ‘New World’ Las Casas was one of the earliest travelers to the newly discovered Americas. This book is a highly critical account of the Spanish ‘Conquistador’ period. It records the shocking mass slaughter, torture, and slavery of the native population of Central America in the 16th Century.
Mention is made of the destruction of the ancient kingdom of Cuscatlan and Guatemala, but it is the passionate defence of the basic rights that A...more
Mention is made of the destruction of the ancient kingdom of Cuscatlan and Guatemala, but it is the passionate defence of the basic rights that A...more
This is not the edition I read, which was a facsimile of a translated (contemporary) edition. It's also apparently not searchable by the author; at least, I didn't find it by searching for it that way.
This book is heavily cited in accounts of the impact of early European 'conquerors' (especially 'conquistadores') on not only the 'Indies' (meaning Caribbean islands), but also on adjacent areas like Mexico and Florida. It's anything but a detached, 'objective' history: it's unabas...more
This book is heavily cited in accounts of the impact of early European 'conquerors' (especially 'conquistadores') on not only the 'Indies' (meaning Caribbean islands), but also on adjacent areas like Mexico and Florida. It's anything but a detached, 'objective' history: it's unabas...more
Really helps you, at least, try to understand some of the hypocritical, ironic notions found in Spanish imperialism. For example, Las Casas was okay with African slavery but not okay with Native American slavery? A lot of other interesting and important themes present in this book. Must read for any history student.
Difficult to read, mainly because it is repetitive, but Las Casas was not writing for us, he was writing for the king.
Difficult to read, mainly because it is repetitive, but Las Casas was not writing for us, he was writing for the king.
Some absolutely terrifying shit. De Las Casas was a believer in the superiority of Europeans and the need to spread Catholicism to heathens, but he was morally opposed to the horrific destruction he witnessed in Hispaniola. He recounts with terrible candor the horrors of genocide. Difficult to read, but important for all who desire a useful understanding of the violence inherent in settlement of the so-called New World.
I knew what I was getting into reading this, but it was painful nonetheless. Reading eyewitness accounts of atrocities committed by the Spanish against Native Americans is not pleasant. A book like this would be a nice counterpoint to the usual "Europe brought civilization to the New World" nonsense that we are all fed in school growing up.
Friar Bartolomé de las Casas' account of Spanish cruelty and conquest of the Americas. It is a good read for Latin American colonialists; however, the description of Spanish cruelty is a bit much. This particular essay is important because it plays a pivotal role in the formation of the Black Legend in Europe.
I had to read this for World Literature...it wasn't very interesting. Basically, the Spanish go everywhere in the Indies and do unspeakable things to the natives. Except we're not really sure if they DID do what Las Casas claims, because he was prone to exaggerate to help sway the Spanish King. So, all we can really take from this narrative is: The Spanish probablyyyy weren't very nice.
This is what people read before there were horror movies ... bloody and gruesome, and mostly true (apparently he may have been overstating his case to the Spanish Crown while lobbying for Native American rights, though not by much...)
We just read this in Caribbean History, and although I've read this several times before, reading it with a new class and discussing it with them always gives me new insights and ideas.
insight and very disturbing. Violence and more violence. It was like a horror story except this was the founding of Latin America. truly an account of shame.
De Las Casas might have been a great humanitarian (and certainly ahead of his time in viewing the rights of indigenous peoples) but he's not exactly a great writer. Even short as this book is, it's painful to read: the prose if very stilted and repetitious. In addition, this edition appears to be a re-print of an English language translation of the original Spanish. The spelling appears to be 16th Century English and I felt that the translator(s) took a number of liberties with the original. For...more
Les faits relatés par Las Casas, à savoir l'extermination des indiens des îles des Caraïbes, sont particulièrement atroces.
Must read!!!! anyone interested in US history must read this book...
A difficult but amazing book. A must-read for any new-worlder.
Sickening how cruel people can be.
Brutal..
Hard to measure a book like this. In its time it was probably quite revolutionary (people in the Americas were actually people! Get out!) But time is real, time takes its toll and these days the book is more or less a documentary of sadistic practices with a conclusion pleading for tolerance. It might have been ahead of its time, but this is not its time, and I don't think it's aged too well.
Anyone who praises Las Casas as a hero has reached into history with an incomplete understanding of his plan to "save" the Native Americans: He believed that the solution was to bring slaves from Africa to work in place of the Native Americans, while they converted to Christianity. Is it so hard to believe that someone from 16th century Spain would have an idea like this?
Raquel Casilla
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Las Casas is one of my heros. He fought against the atrocities of the oppressive regime of the Iberian empire upon the indigenous peoples in Latin America. Since many who were in power portrayed their civilizing efforts in a positive light, Las Casas goes against this by telling the real story of subjugation of the native population.
This book stands as an incredible look into historical views of indigenous identity in the Americas. The clergyman is represented not so much as a hero, but as an embassador between the indigenous communities and the Spanish. In a time without court systems, he attempted to bargain for the just treatment of these people.
First hand account of the atrocities committed by the Spanish Conquistadors and certain Missionaries in Latin/Central America. Excellent primary source and helps us to remember the cultures which did not survive the conquest.
A surprisingly honest account of the Spanish destruction of the native peoples of the Caribbean and Central America. Surprising because it was written by a Spaniard. Superb history from a man who was there.
An important primary source on colonial Caribbean, but a very dull read that was incredibly repetitive. Best to read excerpts from the book rather than the whole book.
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Bartolomé de las Casas, O.P. (November 1484 – 18 July 1566), was a 16th-century Spanish Dominican priest, writer and the first resident Bishop of Chiapas. As a settler in the New World he witnessed, and was driven to oppose, the torture and genocide of the Native Americans by the Spanish colonists and advocated before King Charles V on behalf of rights for the natives. Originally having proposed t...more
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