"Now compare these natural qualities of judgment, talent, magnanimity, temperance, humanity, and religion of the Spanish with those of these poor people, in whom you will scarcely find any vestiges of humanity; who not only do not possess any learning, but do not even know how to write... Indeed, they lack almost all human civilization."
— Juan Ginés de Sepúlveda, Democrates Alter, 1547
Which of the following viewpoints is most directly expressed by the author in the excerpt?
- AThe claim that Native Americans formed a single, unified society with identical customs across the Western Hemisphere.
- BThe idea that the encomienda system was established to protect Native American ownership of land.
- The belief that Spanish conquest and subjugation of Native Americans was justified by their perceived cultural inferiority.Answer
- DThe argument that the introduction of American crops to Europe was the primary cause of Spanish demographic growth.
Answer
The belief that Spanish conquest and subjugation of Native Americans was justified by their perceived cultural inferiority
The correct answer is the belief that Spanish conquest and subjugation of Native Americans was justified by their perceived cultural inferiority. In the excerpt, Sepúlveda compares the Spanish and Native Americans, asserting that the indigenous peoples lack civilization and writing, which he uses to argue that the Spanish have a right to rule over them.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
Spanish debates over the subjugation and perceived capacity of Native Americans
Estimated Time:45s