The significance of individuals' roles in empire building is best shown through Bartolomé de las Casas’s success in changing laws about the treatment of Indigenous people.
Las Casas was a Spanish Dominican friar and missionary who became an outspoken advocate for the rights of Indigenous people in the Americas. His efforts to reform the treatment of Indigenous populations led to significant legal changes, such as the New Laws of 1542, which aimed to improve their conditions. His influence highlights how individual actions and advocacy can have a profound impact on the ethical foundations and practices of empire, illustrating the power of a single person's commitment to justice in the context of empire building.