Summary

Documents: Montecino's 1511 Sermon, The Requerimiento, The Cruelties of The Spaniards Commited in America Destruction of The Indies

They Say:
As New Spain was at the rise of wealth, Spaniards depend on Indians for mining gold. Individuals such as Friar Anton Montecino despise the abuse and mistreatment that were fixed on the Indians by the Spaniards. Friar Anton Montecino report his sermon to the Spaniards about the cruelties they have done to the harmless, innocent people. Montecino claimed that the Spaniards were sinful and were leading to hell (not following the Christian faith). Montecino's sermon had lead to King Ferdinands's Requerimiento. The Requerimiento states that spreading Christian faith is the reason for the conquest. All Indians should serve and acknowledge higher subjects of the islands and Spain, with no resistance. Indians should learn Christianity taught by priests. If the Indians follow The Requerimiento, they would not be treated as slaves. If the Indians reject the document, they would be the fault for their slavery, war, and harm by the Spaniards. Bartolome de Las Casas had written an excerpt, in 1552, about the cruelties the Spaniards had done to the Indians. He admits that the Indians were moralists than the Spaniards. He emphasizes several of the torments of the harrassed Indians the Spaniards did, causing decreased population. Bartolome, as the witness, had seen numerous inhumaned tortures. The whole cause for this was gold.

I Say:
I agree with Montecino's and Bartolome's document because the Spaniards were greedy and focused on wealth and title. Conquest had meant for spreading Christianity. With inhumane tortures, missionaries worried what would the Indians think of the religion. When The Requerimiento was required to be read to the Indians, I think that it was a cynical violation of Christian faith. I don't think Christian faith is based on "If you don't do this, then you'll get this." "Encomienda gave encomenderos the right to force Indians to work when, where, and how the Spaniards pleased." To me, this means The Requerimiento meant nothing because Spaniards harmed and use the Indians for gold anyways. This is true for Bartolome's excerpt. His excerpt was made in 1552 and The Requerimiento was announced in the beginning of 1514. About 40 years later, Spaniards violated The Requerimiento. Indians followed it, yet the Spaniards still do harm on them.