Chapter 1 Primary Sources Flashcards
Bartoleme de Las Casas, Brief Account of the Devastation of the Indies (1542)
Indies discovered by Spain in 1492, largest Island is Hispaniola which is very densely populated with Indians. He describes these people as devoid of wickedness and faithful to their Spanish Christian masters. They soon die after extensive labor. They sleep in a kind of matting or else in a suspended net called bamacas. Says they are very eager to learn of Catholicism and take sacraments. He talks about how some Spaniards demolished the Native population from 3 million to about 200 (not sure on this statistic) saying that the Spanish were acting like starved wild beasts. Cuba, San Juan (Puerto Rico) and Jamaica were also depopulated and devastated. It is said that more than thirty other islands once highly populated were now completely empty of people. He says that between 12-15 million people were slain by the Spanish. They continue on by enslaving any of the survivors, mainly women and children. This slaughtering of the Native people was all in the name of acquiring gold. The Indians only rose up against the Spanish after countless incidences of them killing, robbing, and torturing. Spanish were not content with what the Indians gave them as gifts, they wanted everything. The most powerful ruler of the island had to watch his own wife get raped by a “Christian” officer. They placed bets on what technique they could use to kill someone, or what way they could slice them in half. Began killing women, children, babies, and pregnant women once some Indians tried to fight back. Burned many of the nobles and chiefs of the village alive. After the killings, the leftover men were sent to gold mines, women were put in the fields, and babies didn’t receive enough nutrients from breast milk and died, thus the major depopulation. This document serves as a contrast to Columbus’ letter because it is none biased. Columbus was trying to prove the value of his expeditions and deffinetley bent the truth when having to do with his interactions with the natives. I believe this is a more accurate account of the events that occurred in Hispaniola and other islands in the Indies. This relates to chapter 1 by showing another view of how Columbus interacted with the natives.
Written by Columbus to Luis de Sant Angel, Treasurer of Aragon in February 15th, 1493 on the Caravel, off the Canary Isles
Luis had given Columbus substantial help in fitting out his expedition. Columbus writes of his 33 day voyage to the Indies where he finds and names five islands that are inhabited by Natives. Finds Hispaniola and describes it as beautiful. Calls the Natives, “hopelessly timid people” and says he gave them some of everything he had for nothing in return at first, now he describes them as very generous. They gave his men gold in return for junk. He says he took by force some Natives to gain information about what was in the land (where the gold was). He says that they seemed very inclined to convert to Christianity. Says he has taken possession of all of the islands and claims that Hispaniola is larger than England. He took control of a city named, City of Navidad. Says there are Natives on the isles that eat flesh. Lots of copper supposedly and he says there are rumors of a bigger island that Hispaniola with a lot of gold. He says the Ferdinand and Isabella can ask for as much slaves and spices as they want and he will send them. He then concludes by praising the king and queen. This relates to chapter 1 because much of this chapter is about Spain entering the new world as well as their earlier interactions with the natives of Hispaniola.
Map of Indian Demographics (2001 by Frank E . Smith)
Population Comparison: In the year 2000, the state of Nebraska had approximately 833 person per hundred square kilometers. This map gives the number of persons per hundred square kilometers in 1492. This is relates to chapter 1 by showing the population patterns of early North America.
Beakers from Cahokia, Mexico at a ritual site (1050 CE to 1250)
A picture of single-serving, cylindrical pots with a handle on one side and a tiny lip on the other. The cups show the cultural importance of Greater Cahokia, the largest early North American settlement in Mexico. Used to drink a dark tea made of Yaupon holly, called “the black drink”. The drink, six times the strength of coffee, was often involved part of important purification rituals where men vomited. These cups are part of early cultural developements in North America and is related to the mix of peoples described in chapter 1 and more specifically, the Mississippian Culture written about within the chapter.
