Destruction Of The Indies Analysis

Two documents were analyzed in this writing. A Short Account of the Destruction of the Indies and The Mayan Account of the Spanish Conquest. Both documents discuss Spanish entrance into the Indies and the underlying effect that was observed by Friar Bartolome de las Casas and Natives who called the Indies home.

A Short Account of the Destructions of the Indies was written by Friar Bartolome de las Casas in 1542 and published in 1552. The text was written for the “potent lord prince of all Spain don Felipe:” Prince Phillip II of Spain. The general purpose of the document was to inform the Prince of the evils of man on the natives of the Indies. Friar Bartolome informs in writing to Prince Filipe that such evils are due to the king’s

inability to see them.
The overall effect of this document caused the drafting and submission of The New Laws of 1542. These new laws ultimately put an end to native slavery. Friar Bartolome shows a bias toward the prince, Spain, and the church. Even though he was sent to ensure Indians were not mistreated, states that the land belonging to the Indians actually belonged to Spain. He shows favor for the natives due to the destruction of native populace and the land of which they live.
The second document, The Mayan Account of the Spanish Conquest was written by the Yucatan Maya sometime between the years of 1540-1546.

This passage is art of the Chilam Balam of Chumayal. The Chilam Balam of Chumayal records history, myth, religion, prophecies, medicine, and calendars. Sacred text is written by each town with thi being the account of the town of Chumayal. The text is written as a historical dictionary for future generations of the Yucatan Maya. The purpose of the document is to detail the entry of the Spanish and the effect it had on the Yucatan Mayan people. No bias is observed and the writing is just a testament of what occurred during and after Spanish arrival. I see no immediate effect of the document on history but it shows the side that is less often recorded in writing. A first-hand account from the natives of the

area.
From the accounts of the Yucatan Maya, the portrayal of the Spanish is not very detailed and puts a lot of focus on the after math of Spanish arrival.

They focus first on Christianity. They pain this picture of evil of religion, stating “when misery came, when Christianity came…” Writing to dictate what it meant to the Spanish and to some extent what the Spanish placed on the door step of the Yucatan Maya, elaborated with the passage “with the true divinity, the true god…”

This selection shows a little of what was spoken to them from the Spanish and the Spanish approach to spreading religion. The Yucatan Maya write of the atrocities from the Spanish like greed. This greed spanned far beyond just gold and other precious items and placed a heavy importance on the forced labor and debts owed to them. They write about the manipulation of the poor and their lack of rebellion, maybe for fear of losing what little they had. The passage is ended with statements preluding to the arrival of god who will angrily descend to all of earth bringing plague.

The selection from the Yucatan Mayan seems to show self-worth over the gold and other items demanded by the Spanish. The writing outlines the activities of the Spanish but doesn’t seem to be written with anger despite what overall tone is created because of the Spanish

arrival.
The document written by Bartolome sets a more detailed account. Bartolome writing to spain, speaks of the evils occurring in the Indies but still has high focus on religion. He even determines the new world of the Indies as lands conceded and given to Spain by god to rule and govern. The misery spoken by the Yucatan Maya is now writing of the evil of man and the destruction of the Indies. It’s ironic that regardless of what destruction was there and the evil of man, that the land still belongs to the king and Spain. Bartolome documents multiple areas of the Indies like San Juan and Jamaica.
He describes the areas as large and favorable but now laid to waste. Bartolome details the greed as well and states they slayed and destroyed to gain a much gold as possible. They desired to raise themselves to high estates. This greed is said by Bartholomew to be the greatest the world has ever seen. In his writing Bartolome says that the Indians never meant any harm to the Spanish, thinking they descended from heaven. This thought stayed true until the Spanish brought harm, murder, and violence.