The laws of Burgos of 1512-1513

The Laws of Burgos are the first legal code in the Americas, directing Spaniards to read aloud a religious justification and demand for obedience from the Native populations, known as El Requerimiento. The law gives Native peoples a chance to submit before being attacked or enslaved, but this is an impossible task since Natives do not speak Spanish. https://ecda.northeastern.edu/home/about-exhibits/requerimiento/history/