Literary Analyze of From an Account, Much Abbreviated the Destruction
“1518-1519 the indigenous population of the major had been greatly reduced… far fewer than the pre-Columbian population of at least several hundred thousand” (Ostler Pg 11). Christopher Columbus discovered the island of Hispaniola, (current day Haiti and the Dominican Republic), on December 5th, 1492. News about Columbus’ discovery of the new would spread all across Europe which leads to more expeditions toward the mainland. Christopher Columbus explored for the Spanish Empire so naturally, they would profit off the land and it Indians, but the native people of the island of Hispaniola did not cooperate with the Spanish, this would lead to many horrific massacres and rapes
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Columbus sent word about his discovery to King Ferdinand, which later would be responsible for the deaths of most of the Indian population. As the Spanish rained terror across the island, rumors were spread about the atrocities committed by the Spaniards. Bartolomé de las Casas is a firm believer in the Christianity faith, so when he first heard about the rumors, he felt that it was his duty to form a social reform towards the well-being of the Indians. Bartolomé de las Casas traveled to the island of Hispaniola to see for himself if the rumored treatment of the native Indies were true. When Casas arrived at the island he was devastated from what he saw. Casas recorded in his book, “the Christians entered and began the devastations and perditions… a Christian will eat and destroy in one day” (de las Casas 68). Destroying the homes and the crops that belong to the Indians contradict the Christian belief of peace and prosperity. Casas heavily emphasizes the word Christians, which because the Spanish culture is very religious toward the Christian faith, but he also does this to show that the way they are treating the Indians goes against god. Casas will do the same again later on when he described the horrific executions that took place at