Amistad

Term Paper Title	Amistad
# of Words	1005
# of Pages (250 words per page double spaced)	4.02

Amistad

AMISTAD

Amistad is a recreation of the true story about a 1839 slave revolt on a small Spanish schooner, La Amistad, ironically the Spanish word for "friendship." Spielberg does a great job in recreating the Amistad revolt that spurred a series of trials beginning in the lower courts of Connecticut and ultimately ending in the Supreme Court.  Events following the revolt raise controversial questions about slavery and freedom.  This case not only marks a milestone for Abolitionists in their fight against slavery but it also questioned the natural laws of our Constitution.

Leading up to the trial of the Africans, Spielberg illustrates the horrors the slaves endured as they were captured and taken from their homes.  It is very distressing to see the cruelty that was imposed on the slaves as they were captured.  The slaves were shackled and chained, then packed in an unsanitary, overcrowded slave ship, and exposed to inhuman treatment, on the Portuguese slaver Tecora as it makes its way through the Middle Passage towards Cuba.  Although a third of the slaves died aboard the Tecora before it reached it's destination, those that survived the trip were eventually auctioned into slavery in Havanna, Cuba..

The revolt on the slave ship Amistad resulted in the deaths of the captain and cook of the ship.  The Africans did spared the lives of two Spaniards who were needed to help navigate the ship back to Africa.  The Africans had control of the Amistad for only a short time before it was seized by the U.S. Army, capturing the Africans and forcing them to face a trial, on  charges of  murder and mutiny.   This trial marked the beginning of a court case that dramatically challenged our judicial system.

The Abolitionists play a big part in the outcome of this trial.   Abolitionists to enhance strong public emotion against slavery, begin  publicizing  the horror stories  and brutalities of slavery.  They felt sorry for the slaves and with the help of Edward Tappin, an abolitionist leader,  they secured the services of an attorney Roger S. Baldwin of Connecticut to defend the Africans.    What amazed me,  is  that even  with odds against the Africans,  as the judge in the trial,  Andrew T. Judson was an opponent  of slavery and  he was also under pressure by President Van Buren to send the Africans back to Cuba,  justice prevailed for the  Africans.  At least for a short time when Judson  ruled that the Africans had been kidnapped and ordered their return to Africa.  The  Abolitionists and Africans felt that justice had been served, until President Van Buren requested an appeal to the Supreme Court,  in which five of the justices had been slave owners.

The Abolitionists and Roger S. Baldwin the African's attorney felt the only way they could win this trial is by seeking help from an influential person of status.  They appealed to former President, John Quincy Adams for help.   Adams accepted the case  and in the Supreme Court trial, Adams delivered an emotional argument challenging the Court to gran...

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