A Brief Account of the Destruction of the Indies

Name: A Brief Account of the Destruction of the Indies
Author: Bartolomé de las Casas

Bartolomé de las Casas’ A Brief Account of the Destruction of the Indies is a firsthand account of the Spanish conquest of the Americas and the atrocities committed against the native population. Las Casas, a Spanish priest and historian, was an eyewitness to the events he describes in the book. He details the brutality of the Spanish conquistadors, who enslaved and killed the native population in pursuit of gold and other riches. Las Casas also recounts the destruction of the native cultures, as the Spanish destroyed their temples and monuments and forced them to convert to Christianity. The book is a powerful indictment of the Spanish conquest and a plea for justice for the native people. Las Casas’ account is an important source of information on the history of the Americas and the effects of colonialism.

By Bartolomé de las Casas · First published 1552 · Genre: Historical Non-Fiction, Biography, Political Commentary · 6 chapters · 5,739 words

First lines

POPERY Truly Display'd in its Bloody Colours: Or, a faithful NARRATIVE OF THE Horrid and Unexampled Massacres, Butcheries, and all manner of Cruelties, that Hell and Malice could invent, committed by the Popish _Spanish_ Party on the inhabitants of _West-India_

TOGETHER With the Devastations of several Kingdoms in _America_ by Fire and Sword, for the space of Forty and Two Years, from the time of its first Discovery by them.

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A Brief Account of the Destruction of the Indies is listed on Textopian as a historical account by Bartolomé de las Casas, dated 1552 CE.

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Work type: Historical account
Author: Bartolomé de las Casas
Date: 1552 CE
Language: English
Genres: Historical Non-Fiction, Biography, Political Commentary, Philosophical Writing
Length: 5,739 words
Structure: 6 chapters, 66 paragraphs
Reading fit: Very Confusing

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Genres

Historical Non-Fiction — The book is a factual account of the destruction of the Indies, written by a Spanish priest who witnessed the events firsthand.
Biography — The book is written by Bartolomé de las Casas, a Spanish priest and historian, and provides an account of his experiences in the Indies.
Political Commentary — The book is a critique of Spanish colonialism and its effects on the indigenous people of the Indies.
Philosophical Writing — The book contains philosophical reflections on the morality of Spanish colonialism and its effects on the indigenous people of the Indies.