USA HISTORY

Detailed explanation-1: -In 1516, to preserve the rapidly dwindling Taino population of the island of Española, Bartolomé de las Casas (1485–1566) suggested importing some black and white slaves from Castile. He has been pilloried ever since for hypocritically advocating the initiation of the African slave trade in defense of American Indians.

Detailed explanation-2: -Bartolomé de Las Casas was a Dominican priest who was one of the first Spanish settlers in the New World. After participating in the conquest of Cuba, Las Casas freed his own slaves and spoke out against Spanish cruelties and injustices in the empire.

Detailed explanation-3: -Citing the Bible and canon law, Las Casas responded, “All the World is Human!” He contradicted Sepulveda’s assertions that the Indians were barbarous, that they committed crimes against natural law, that they oppressed and killed innocent people, and that wars should be waged against infidels.

Detailed explanation-4: -Indeed, according to liberation theologian, Gustavo Gutiérrez, O.P., Bishop Las Casas was the first in the sixteenth century to denounce slavery in the Indies as an injustice, and he did not initiate the introduction of African slaves in the Caribbean.