Humanities 3 II. Spain and the New World Botticelli, Venus and Mars, 1483
Lecture 7 Fishing for Souls, Punishing Bodies
Outline Who was Bartolomé de las Casas? The argument of the Short Account Justice and Natural Law Friday movie pick: Werner Herzog, Aguirre, Wrath of God (1972)
Bartolomé de las Casas (1484-1576) Arrives in New World (Hispaniola) in 1502 Participates in the conquest of Cuba and witnesses the massacre of its inhabitants Becomes a priest in 1510 In 1514 frees his serfs and begins to protest the mistreatment of native peoples by the Spanish
1520 Las Casas convinces Charles V to support the plan of a colony of farm communities inhabited by Spanish and free Indians. 1522 Plan fails because of the opposition of local land owners. Las Casas begins his History of the Indies. 1537 Pope Paul III issues bull declaring that American Indians are rational beings with souls.
1542 On the basis of the Short Account Las Casas persuades Charles V to pass laws putting an end to the encomienda system by limiting serfdom of natives to a single generation. 1544 Appointed bishop of Chiapas; attempts to enforce new laws. Colonists (including clergy) resist. A year later the laws are rescinded by Charles V. 1550 Public debate with Juan Gines de Sepulveda over treatment of Indians.
Argument of the Short Account Writing to the future king of Spain, Philip II (and to his father, the Holy Roman Emperor, Charles V), an official report (relación), to inform him of the abuses taking place in the colonies. Las Casas seeks a reform of colonial practices, including the end of encomienda (serfdom).
Encomienda system To prevent settlers from creating feudal fiefs, F & I decreed that all land would remain the possession of the Crown Indians were compelled to work on behalf of landholders, in exchange for which they were offered the protection of the Crown, instruction in the Christian faith, and a small wage. (p. xx) Legally, the native peoples were subjects and vassals of the Spanish crown (p. xvii).
Papal Bull Granting Spain the Right to the New World (1493) kingdoms granted and entrusted by God and His Church so that they might be properly ruled and governed, converted to the Faith, and tenderly nurtured to full material and spiritual prosperity. (6)
How Bad Was It? The actions of the Europeans, throughout the New World, were without exception wicked and unjust: worse, in fact, than the blackest kind of tyranny. (23; see also 25) But note: Las Casas doesn t challenge Spain s right to be in the New World and to nurture its land and its peoples.
Pre-contact America In 1500 population of the Americas est. to be 80-100 million. Aztec empire (Mexico) and Incan empire (Pacific coast/andes) each had roughly 20 million By 1600 the populations of these two groups had fallen to about 1 million each Most died as a result of diseases brought by Europeans (smallpox, bubonic plague, influenza, measles)
A Case of Genocide? Writing in 1542 Las Casas claims 12-15 million killed over previous 40 years (12) Pre-contact population of Antilles between.5 and 8 million. By 17th c. Arawak people virtually extinct (24, n. 31) Motivated simply by greed? (13) Failure to recognize the indigenous people as fully human? ( piles of dung in the middle of the road, 13)
Religious Motive For Las Casas, the conversion and the saving of souls has first priority (32; see 10-11). Yet he denies that this can be done by force: as though Christ intended heathens, living in peace and tranquillity in their own lands, to be confronted with a demand that they convert on the spot, without their ever hearing the Word or having Christian doctrine explained to them. (32)
Requerimiento (1513) Leaders and citizens of such-and-such a town of this Mainland. Be it known to you that there is one true God, one Pope, and one King of Castile who is the rightful owner of all these lands. You are hereby summoned to pay allegiance, etc. Should you fail to do so, take notice that we shall make just war upon you, and your lives and liberty will be forfeit, etc. (33)
What s the real complaint? Death and physical suffering of the indigenous people? Failure to convert them, or save their souls? Wickedness of Spanish Christians? The consequences of all of these for Spain?
Failure of Conversion These would be the most blessed people on earth if only they were given the chance to convert to Christianity. (11) Las Casas writes his Account to help ensure that the teeming millions in the New World, for whose sins Christ gave His life, do not continue to die in ignorance, but rather are brought to knowledge of God and thereby saved (127; see also 6 and 126)
The Consequences for Spain My deep love for Castile has also been a spur, for I do not want to see my country destroyed as a punishment for sins against the honor of God and the True Faith. (127) Compare Savonarola s prophecies of divine retribution for the moral and spiritual lapses of the Florentines.
Upsetting the Order of Things There is a natural order to human affairs instituted by God. A Catholic king is the divinely appointed ruler, to whom others are naturally subject. (5) Natural law governs the actions of human beings. This law requires that we act justly and avoid unnecessary cruelty.
Just War Justice governs the waging of war and the subjection of foreign peoples (see 53-4) By natural law, the native peoples are justified in waging war against the Spanish (69-70)
The natural outcome of injustice is divine retribution: The only rights these perfidious crusaders have earned which can be upheld in human, divine, or natural law are the right to eternal damnation and the right to answer for the offences and the harm they have done the Spanish Crown by invalidating all claims the Spanish Crown may have to the territories of the New World. (53-4)
No Europe Without America The world we have today is the gift of the New World. -- Ronald Wright, A Short History of Progress
An indispensable condition for the establishment of manufacturing industry was the accumulation of capital facilitated by the discovery of America and the importation of precious metals (Marx, 1847) New crops imported to Europe (potatoes, maize) increased its agricultural output, allowing its population to increase African slaves shipped to Americas to replace indigenous people labored on sugar, cotton and coffee plantations.