Are These Not Also Men
“Are These Not Also Men?” In 1511, Fray Antonio Montesinos spoke the words, “Are these not also men?” His famous quote was a response to the mistreatment of the indigenous peoples that inhabited the Americas, by the conquering Spanish. Immediately upon discovering and colonizing the New World a widespread debate arose in regards to the usage and treatment of the native Indians. This debate was primarily focused on how to classify the Indians. Many people believed that the Indians were not human at all and should be allowed to be treated merely as slaves. The opposing side, the church, argued back that the Indians, no matter how seemingly uncivilized they lived, were humans. A major argument resulted and the question as to how a human being is classified as being a human became a fiery debate among many. The Spanish conquerors believed that, like animals, the Indians did not have rational souls, or the ability to reason. Also, in conjunction, the Conquerors used the views of a medieval Dominican named Thomas Aquinas as justification for their reasoning.
” The Indians were often compared to parrots, or horses in the way they lived their lives. In all the debates and controversy to whether or not the Indians were humans who were capable of grasping the fundamentals of Christianity, a major point was overlooked. This is true because both sides were only looking at the situation form their own point of view, and never considered the thoughts of the Indians. Patricia Seed, the author of this journal offers her line of thinking. ”(Seed 645) This new system had two main goals. The Spaniards, to become more prosperous themselves and the Church, to strengthen there own political base in the New World. Seed suggests that this “formed the keystone to Spain’s political control of the natives. ” The Spanish Crown, agreed with the Pope’s statement. Still today, there is much controversy as to the rights of the few indigenous cultures that still exist today. The conquerors needed the indigenous people to be considered less than human because if they were considered animals, forms of forced labor with out time off for religious learning could be used.
Common topics in this essay:
Spanish Immediately,
Automatically Indian,
Spain Seed,
Thomas Aquinas,
Patricia Seed,
Antonio Montesinos,
Paul III,
Isabella Spain’s,
World Indians,
Spanish Crown,
neither justified,
indigenous peoples,
“are men”,
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Acceptance Essays
