| Date | May 2021 | Marks available | 4 | Reference code | 21M.1.BP.TZ0.6 |
| Level | Both SL and HL | Paper | Paper 1 - first exams 2017 | Time zone | TZ0 |
| Command term | Analyse | Question number | 6 | Adapted from | N/A |
Question
Source H Bartolomé de las Casas, a Spanish friar appointed in America as “Protector of the Indians”, writing in a chronicle sent to prince Philip II of Spain, An Account, Much Abbreviated, of the Destruction of the Indies (1542).
The cause for which the Christians have slain [killed] and destroyed so many and such infinite numbers of souls, has been simply to get, as their ultimate end [main goal], the Indians’ gold. To stuff themselves with riches in a very few days and to raise themselves to high estates [status] without proportion to [regardless of] their birth or breeding, owing to the greed and ambition that they have had, which has been greater than any the world has ever seen before … All the Indians of all the Indies never once did aught [any] hurt or wrong to Christians, but rather held them to be descended from heaven, from the sky, until many times they or their neighbours received from the Christians many acts of wrongful harm, theft, murder and violence.
[Source: Adapted from An Account, Much Abbreviated, of the Destruction of the Indies, with Related Texts, ed. Franklin W. Knight, & tr. Andrew Hurley, published by Hackett Publishing Company. Copyright © 2003.]
With reference to its origin, purpose and content, analyse the value and limitations of Source H for an historian studying the Spanish conquest of the Americas.
Markscheme
Value:
- The author lived in the Americas at the time of the conquest.
- As an official authority, his purpose was to report the abuses committed by the conquerors to Prince Philip II of Spain, therefore detail can be expected.
- It provides information on the motives and behaviour of the conquerors.
Limitations:
- The source was written in 1542 while the conquest was still under development and it may not provide a full explanation of the motives behind the conquerors’ acts.
- Since its purpose was to report to the king about the situation in the Americas, some aspects could have been exaggerated.
- The source does not provide information about the royal response.
The focus of the question is on the value and limitations of the source. If only value or limitations are discussed, award a maximum of [2]. Origin, purpose and content should be used as supporting evidence to make relevant comments on the value and limitations. For [4] there must be at least one reference to each of them in either the value or the limitations.
Examiners report
Most candidates analysed the origin, purpose and content of the source to find some value and limitations. In general, candidates seem to have a better understanding of what is required and how to approach this question. Stronger responses gave clear and specific explanations of value and limitations. However, there were a proportion of responses that merely described the origin and purpose and others that described the provenance at length before going on to explain value and limitations which wasted valuable time. Some candidates did not refer to one of the elements in their response, for example no reference to purpose or to content. To attain full marks, candidates should be aware that they need to make valid comments on the value and limitations of the source drawn from its origin, purpose and content.
