Bartolome De Las Casas Analysis

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In a primary document from the 1528 book History of the Indies, Spanish Catholic priest Bartolomé de las Casas spoke out against the exploitation of Native Americans living in Hispaniola (modern-day Haiti and the Dominican Republic) and Cuba in the early 1500s. Las Casas’ graphic images of the abuse of power and authority demonstrates the decimation of the native population in the Caribbean and how it went against Spain’s Christian beliefs. According to Las Casas, the natives would perform strenuous labor for 6 to 8 consecutive months, earning barely enough wages to feed their families and groom themselves (as evidenced by the mention of combs and mirrors). The Spanish treated the natives like, or far worse than, animals; Las Casas claimed
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