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Valladolid Debates 31808 Views


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Time for some heavy stuff. The Valladolid debates took place in the 16th century, right around the time Spanish were coming over to the New World, pointing at things, and saying "Mine." The debates were primarily concerned about the rights of Native Americans who worked in the encomienda system and were essentially treated as slaves.

Language:
English Language

Transcript

00:08

Hello there, my name is Bartolomei de las Casas.

00:12

Please come in. Mi casas su casas.

00:16

Can I get you anything?

00:17

Water? Juice? Club soda with a splash of cran?

00:21

Anyway, because you're here, I assume you want to know what my deal is.

00:26

I shall tell you, just allow me to get comfortable.

00:29

There we go. Now, a little about myself.

00:33

I'm a champion of the little man.

00:35

This does not mean that I cheer on small boys.

00:38

Rather, when I see that a particular group is being abused

00:42

or unfairly treated, I become inspired to help them.

00:46

Same reason I stop a juvenile delinquent yesterday from

00:49

frying those ants with his magnifying glass.

00:53

Anyway, I was born in Spain, a back in many years ago

00:58

as a young man I enlisted in the military

01:01

and went to serve in the new world.

01:03

I was very excited!

01:04

I could finally cash in my frequent sailing miles.

01:08

As a reward for my service, I was given an encomienda.

01:12

A village filled with Indian laborers who would only answer to me.

01:16

It sounds like a sweet deal.

01:18

I would never have to run out again to pick up a latte.

01:21

But after witnessing the treatment of the natives on the island,

01:25

and after talking things over with my friend Antonio de Montesquiou,

01:29

local friar with some opinions on the subject.

01:32

I realized that what we were doing was...

01:35

inhumane.

01:37

We were treating Indians like dogs. And I figured...

01:40

if you want a dog why not get a dog?

01:44

I quit my encomienda and became a priest.

01:48

I decided to dedicate myself from that point onward

01:51

to the proper treatment of the Indian population.

01:55

Years later, I was made a bishop in a southern Mexico. It was great.

02:00

I had always wanted to be a chess piece.

02:03

I tried to introduce the new laws which included offering rights to

02:06

Indians and doing away with the encomienda system,

02:10

but not everyone was.. uh... receptive.

02:13

I penned a book called A Short Account of the Destruction of the Indies.

02:17

There was initially some confusion.

02:19

But we cleared that up.

02:21

In my book, I outlined all the atrocious and ungodly behaviors of my fellow Spaniards

02:27

in the new world, an attempt to appeal to the masses,

02:31

to the Crown, for immediate action to right this terrible wrong.

02:36

Whether anything had come of my efforts,

02:39

the very fact that human rights were being discussed was a big deal.

02:43

It was a first.

02:45

For once people were seriously debating the issue

02:48

in fact an actual debate was held in Vallodolid, Spain

02:52

between myself and Juan Gines de Supulveda.

02:56

We both made our respective points

02:58

but mine made way more sense than his did.

03:02

Nevertheless, my fellow countrymen were not swayed enough by my argument to

03:05

change their ways, and Indians continue to be treated unfairly.

03:11

But, join me my new friend and help me fight against these Injustices.

03:16

Hopefully it is not too late.

03:19

Actually, it's pretty late.

03:21

I'm going to hit the sack.

03:22

Can you see yourself out?

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