1.6 Cultural Interactions in the Americas

Bartolomé de Las Casas, New Laws of 1542, Valladolid Debate, Juan Ginés de Sepúlveda

Bartolomé de Las Casas

• Spanish priest who advocated for better treatment of Native Americans

• persuaded the king of Spain to institute the New Laws of 1542

  • ended Native American slavery

  • halted forced Native American labor

  • began to end the encomienda system

Valladolid Debate

• Bartolomé de Las Casas - argued that Native Americans were human and equal and should not be enslaved

• Juan Ginés de Sepúlveda - argued that Native Americans were less than human and benefited from serving Spaniards in the encomienda system

English policy towards Native Americans

expelled Native Americans rather than subjugating them

French policy towards Native Americans

trade partners and military allies

Native American survival strategies

• allying with European power(s)

• migrating west

• resisting European power