Final answer:
The question pertains to the severe mistreatment and mass killing of Native populations by Spaniards in the West Indies, as described by historical accounts such as those by Bartolomé de las Casas. The events contribute to the Black Legend and were inadequately addressed by the barely enforced New Laws of the Indies of 1542.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question refers to the atrocities committed by the Spaniards against the Native populations in the West Indies, particularly during the early periods of colonization.
Historical accounts, including those by authors such as Bartolomé de las Casas, describe the execution of native people, enforcing unjust wars, and imposing severe servitude. Las Casas's writings provided evidence for what became known as the Black Legend, a narrative that Spain was a uniquely brutal and ruthless colonizing nation, which, according to some historians, may have been exaggerated by Spain's imperial rivals for their own political purposes.
Despite the introduction of the New Laws of the Indies in 1542, which was aimed at ending abuses, enforcement was negligible due to the distance from Spain. Thus, the oppressive conditions under such systems continued, leading to significant depopulation of native societies in areas such as Hispaniola, Cuba, and other islands.