‘A Brief Account of the Destruction of the Indies’ is the story of the Spanish Dominican priest Bartolome de las Casas, who came to the Americas in the 16th century. Immediately he was struck by the inhumane ways in which the native peoples were treated by the European explorers and conquerors, Las Casas went on to be a leading opponent of slavery, torture, and genocide of the Native Americans by the Spanish colonists.
‘A Brief Account of the Destruction of the Indies’ is his personal account, with chapters covering Cuba, Nicaragua, Hispaniola, Guatemala, Venezuela, Florida, and many other areas conquered by the Spaniards.
A real classic, this book impacted the world by describing the awful fate of the indian indigenous nations in Mexico, Central America and the Carribeans at the beginning of the 16th century. The Spanish conquest and rule of this countries was one of the most savage and inhumane in history, justified by the Spaniard’s desire for gold. For writing this book, Bartolome de las Casas is still considered a hero in Latin America.