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Misunderstanding Native Cultures

            In the late 14th century and the early 15th century many Spanish explorers and settlers encountered the land of the Native Americans. The Spanish explores and settlers in which encountered the land of the Native Americans did not empathize nor understand the culture of the Natives. They had many different views and interpretations on how the Natives lived. They also misunderstood and mistreated the values of the Natives culture.
             One way in which the Spanish settlers and explores in which encountered the Natives land did not empathize the culture of the Natives was by the way they treated them. As stated in excerpts from Bartolomé de Las Casas book "In Defense of the Indian" {Document B}, the Spanish were badly mistreated by the Spanish officials and landowners. The Spanish often heartlessly slaughtered the Natives. They gave them harsh treatment so that the Natives would not think of themselves as human beings. The Spanish were barbarous toward the Native Americans. The Spanish also worked them pitiless. The Natives were very delicate and unaccustomed to this work; the Spanish did not believe this would beat them and kick them. For the Spanish treating the Spanish like this many of them feel ill and died.
             Another way in which the Spanish settlers and explorers in which encountered the Natives land did not empathize the culture of the Natives was by the destruction they cause the Natives. According to a historian David Stannard the Spanish explorers and settlers were responsible for the most destructive campaign of genocide in world history. History traces the violent treatment and even the extinction of Native people. .
             The last way in which Spanish settlers and explorers in which encountered the Natives land did not understand the culture of the Natives was by not understanding their values and taking advantage of their values. According to the log of Christopher Columbus; Columbus and his men found it strange of they little the Natives valued.


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