Summary

On one hand, in the article Destruction of the Indies, by Bartolome de Las Casas, the author emphasized how the Spaniards were barbarians who tortured and killed the innocent, no matter what their age, sex, and status had been. With examples given as an eye-witness, he claimed that, "Men are by the Creation of God innocently simple, altogether void of and averse to all manner of Craft, Subtlety and Malice, and most Obedient and Loyal Subjects to their Native Sovereigns; and behave themselves very patiently, submissively and quietly towards the Spaniards, to whom they are subservient and subject; so that finally they live without the least thirst after revenge, laying aside all litigiousness [quarrelsomeness], Commotion and hatred." Therefore, if this is the definition of God's creation, why is it that the Spaniards had ripped up the bellies of the cities and towns, as well as snatching young babies from their moms, crushing their brains against rocks? Those who were spared, still had their hands half cut, hanging by the skin. On the other hand, in the history article Why Did Cortes Win?, the Indians were known as allies of the Spaniards. The contribution of the Indian allies to the Spaniards and not the Mexica's, helped the Spaniards defeat the Mexicans. As opposed to the other article, this article supports that the Spaniards and Indians were allies and not enemies. Although, the other history article Horses: A New Native American Technology, agrees that the Spaniards and Indians were not allies. For example, the Indians had stolen horses from the Spaniards. If indeed the Spaniards and Indians were allies, why would the Indians go through the trouble of stealing horses from them?

The article by Bartolome argues that Spaniards were tormentors who slaughtered the innocent, even though the Indians hadn't ever injured the Spaniards. If the Indians and Spaniards were allies, as stated by the Why Did Cortes Win? article, then the Spaniards were not such stupendous allies. The Indians however did not injure the Spaniards, but did steal horses from them, so they were not that great either. Although, it seems Bartolome complains that the Spaniards were these wicked creatures that had no respect for mankind. I do encourage other readers to take a look into what Bartolome says, but I cannot agree, nor disagree, with the statements he argued. As true as they may be, given that he was an eye-witness, the article Why Did Cortes Win? also states that, "Mexica often paused to sacrifice Spanish soldiers they had captured, taking time to skin their faces which they afterward prepared like leather gloves, with their beards on." In my opinion, both are at fault here. Also, in this article, the Spaniards were strong Christians that received strength from God which is how the Spaniards claimed victory. But, Bartolome's article contradicts this fact because at the beginning of his article, he states that "Men are by the Creation of God". As I have asked before, if this is true, then why are the Spaniards such horrid barbarians who had "first assaulted the innocent Sheep"?