Final answer:
Bartolomé de las Casas described the Caribbean natives favorably and was impressed by their generosity. He attributed European brutality to greed and despite advocating for reforms through the New Laws of 1542, his efforts faced resistance and the mistreatment continued. Las Casas's accounts contributed to the Black Legend, influencing European views on Spanish colonial practices.
Step-by-step explanation:
Bartolomé de las Casas described the Caribbean natives in a very favorable light. He seemed particularly impressed by their generosity and peaceful nature, as seen when he mentioned that they brought provisions and gifts out to meet the Spanish, showing their welcoming attitude. Las Casas attributed the Europeans' motivation to slaughter to greed and an insatiable appetite for wealth, where Spanish colonizers viewed indigenous peoples as obstacles to their pursuit of gold and resources. The first Bishop, Las Casas himself, after his change of heart, played a crusading role advocating for the fair treatment of natives and the enactment of new laws aimed at reforming the brutal exploitation under the encomienda system.
By the time of his writing, Las Casas attested to a dire situation where the native populations had been subjected to extreme violence and oppression at the hands of the Spanish. Despite his efforts and the eventual implementation of the New Laws of 1542, these laws faced violent opposition from settlers and failed to put an effective end to the mistreatment of Native Americans. As a result of his petitions, King Charles V did implement reforms, but their effectiveness was limited, and the encomienda system continued in various forms. Las Casas's writings spread throughout Europe, igniting the Black Legend which used the humanitarian crisis he depicted to challenge Spanish colonial authority and justify other European nations' colonial ambitions.
Though Las Casas intended to protect the indigenous peoples, his view of them was sometimes paternalistic, treating them more as children in need of guidance than as equals, which reflects the complexity of colonial views and attempts at reform during that era.