Full Answer
How did the friars reform the treatment of the natives?
One advocate for reform was Antonio de Montesinos, a Dominican Friar. His demand for better treatment of the natives prompted passage of the Laws of Burgos, which were enacted in 1512. Believing that the Laws of Burgos were still too harsh, Bartolome de Las Casas, another priest, advocated for better treatment of the natives.
Which priests took the side of the Indians in the war?
Another priest who took the side of the Indians was Bartolome de Las Casas. He believed the Laws of Burgos were too weak and the Requerimiento was a travesty. He persuaded the government to appoint him Protector of the Indians and for a few years (1514 – 1517) he sought to employ a milder regime for the Indians.
How did the Spanish treat the Native Americans?
How Did the Spanish Treat the Native Americans? How Did the Spanish Treat the Native Americans? Spanish treatment of the Native Americans was poor. Spanish explorers considered the natives inferior. Consequently, they forcibly converted natives to Christianity, confined them to slavery and murdered them.
Who was the principal defender of the Indians in the Valladolid?
Bartolomé de las Casas was the principal defender of the Indians in the Junta of Valladolid. Spain's colonization and conquest of the Americas inspired an intellectual debate especially regarding the compulsory Christianization of the Indians.
What was the system of Indians that was devised to deal with the Indians?
If they refused, they could be forced to comply. Many did resist and a system was devised to deal with them. It was known as the encomienda. Under this system Indians were regarded as part of the land: When land grants were made to settlers, the native inhabitants became a part of the grant.
Who was the Puritan who came to Massachusetts Bay in 1631?
Like the Spanish priests who were appalled at the treatment of the Indians, some English observers also spoke out. Roger Williams, a Separatist Puritan who came to Massachusetts Bay in 1631, charged that the English had no right to occupy land that the Indians were already living on.
What was Columbus' first illegal act?
Columbus' first illegal act was to ship five hundred Indians back to Spain as slaves. When Queen Isabella heard of this, she immediately ordered that the Indians be freed and sent back to Hispaniola.
Did the North American Indians die out as rapidly as their native peoples of the Caribbean?
This intermingling, however, did not produce the same results as that of the Spaniards. The North American Indians did not die out as rapidly as their native peoples of the Caribbean and the English, who came in families, did not inter-marry with the Indians as frequently as the Spaniards.
Who was the priest who advocated for better treatment of the natives?
Believing that the Laws of Burgos were still too harsh, Bartolome de Las Casas, another priest, advocated for better treatment of the natives.
What was the treatment of Native Americans by the Spanish?
Spanish treatment of the Native Americans was poor. Spanish explorers considered the natives inferior. Consequently, they forcibly converted natives to Christianity, confined them to slavery and murdered them. In 1492, Christopher Columbus arrived on the island of Hispaniola.
How did the Spanish exploit natives?
Spanish exploitation of native populations gradually moved westward, as the explorers continued their quest for silver, gold and other valuable natural resources. They continued their inhumane treatment of native populations in South America, and eventually moved north into North America. In addition to forcing the native populations into slavery, the Spanish explorers forced them to convert to Christianity. Those who resisted were punished by a system called encomienda, in which natives were assigned to settlers through land grants as part of a deal. When settlers claimed a piece of land, they were also given a group of natives with it. The natives forcibly worked the land by planting crops and mining for the landowners. This allowed the settlers to maintain control over the natives without enslaving them.
What was the first action that Columbus took?
After discovering the natives, one of the first actions Columbus took was enslaving them. He shipped hundreds of slaves back to Spain, which infuriated Queen Isabella, who demanded their return to Hispaniola. Columbus also forced native men to collect gold and return it to the sailors.
What did Columbus do to the natives?
Columbus also forced native men to collect gold and return it to the sailors. If the men did not reach their 90-day quota, they were punished by death. In addition to the unethical practices that the explorers launched against the natives, they also brought diseases with them from Europe.
What happened to the natives of the Caribbean after Columbus's landing?
In the 20 years following Columbus's landing on Hispaniola, Spanish explorers extended their reach to other Caribbean islands. Native populations in Puerto Rico, Jamaica and Cuba were also forced into slavery.