Criticism of slavery existed at this time, including by well-known figures Columbus would have known of.

Question

Answer

Pro: Bishop Bartolomé de las Casas was a well-known critic of slavery and colonialism who had travelled to the New World and documented and criticized Columbus' project.

Answer

Con: As colonization of Africa began, the Catholic Church repeatedly affirmed the right of colonizers to take slaves.

Answer

Pro: St. Thomas Aquinas, whose work was still very influential in the 15th century, had written that slavery is a sin which several popes reaffirmed after his death.

Was Columbus a hero?

Criticism of slavery existed at this time, including by well-known figures Columbus would have known of.

Pros

Cons

Bishop Bartolomé de las Casas was a well-known critic of slavery and colonialism who had travelled to the New World and documented and criticized Columbus' project.

St. Thomas Aquinas, whose work was still very influential in the 15th century, had written that slavery is a sin which several popes reaffirmed after his death.

As colonization of Africa began, the Catholic Church repeatedly affirmed the right of colonizers to take slaves.

Selected claim, opposing its parent

Criticism of slavery existed at this time, including by well-known figures Columbus would have known of.

Pro claim 1

Bishop Bartolomé de las Casas was a well-known critic of slavery and colonialism who had travelled to the New World and documented and criticized Columbus' project.

Pro claim 2

St. Thomas Aquinas, whose work was still very influential in the 15th century, had written that slavery is a sin which several popes reaffirmed after his death.

Con claim 1

As colonization of Africa began, the Catholic Church repeatedly affirmed the right of colonizers to take slaves.