Source: The Spanish Requirement of 1513, a declaration by Spanish monarchy read to Native Americans by conquistadores and other Spanish explorers and settlers during the 16th century.
“I implore you to recognize the Church as a lady and in the name of the Pope take the King as lord of this land and obey his mandates. If you do not do it, I tell you that with the help of God I will enter powerfully against you all. I will make war everywhere and every way that I can. I will subject you to the yoke and obedience to the Church and to his majesty. I will take your women and children and make them slaves. The deaths and injuries that you will receive from here on will be your own fault and not that of his majesty nor of the gentlemen that accompany me.”
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Document 3 Sourcing Statement
Choose one aspect of the source to analyze. HIGHLIGHT ONE
Historical Situation (context)
Purpose
Intended Audience
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
Correct Answer: Purpose
Explanation:
The purpose of the Spanish Requirement of 1513 was to justify the Spanish conquest of Indigenous peoples in the Americas by asserting religious and royal authority. The document served as a legal and moral rationale for warfare, enslavement, and colonization. It was written by the Spanish monarchy and read aloud—often in Spanish and often without translation—to Indigenous peoples before hostilities began. The Requirement stated that Native Americans must accept the authority of the Catholic Church and the Spanish Crown. If they refused, the Spanish would declare war, enslave survivors, and destroy communities, but claim that the resulting violence was the fault of the Indigenous people, not the Spanish.
This document was part of a broader legal framework the Spanish used to ease their conscience and deflect criticism from religious and political rivals. By asserting that the native populations were informed and given a choice (even if in an incomprehensible language), Spanish authorities claimed legitimacy in their violent actions. In essence, the Requirement aimed to absolve the Spanish of guilt for conquest-related atrocities by placing moral responsibility on those who resisted.
The language of the declaration reveals the coercive nature of Spanish imperialism. The offer was not a true choice, but a threat veiled in religious and legal terms. By framing forced submission as obedience to God and the king, the Spanish monarchy sought to validate expansion under the guise of religious duty and legal right.
Thus, the purpose of the document was not to communicate or negotiate in good faith, but to fulfill a procedural requirement that would allow Spanish explorers to proceed with conquest under the appearance of legality and righteousness, regardless of whether the Native populations understood or consented.
