The Amistad Story
The Amistad was a slave ship on its way to Cuba. Cinque, a passenger, led the other
slaves in a revolt in which they killed the captain and the cook. They left two people
alive to steer the ship to Africa, but were tricked by Pedro Montes, who instead, six
weeks later, landed in New York.
The two surviving crew members, Montes and Ruiz filed complaints of murder and
piracy in a New York court in 1839. The judge referred the case for trial in Circuit
Court, and had the Africans jailed.
On September 14, 1839, the Africans were sent to Hartford for trial under Judge
Smith Thompson. Thompson sent the case to a district court because of
jurisdictional grounds, rather than dealing with the slavery issue, because the
alleged mutiny and murders occurred in international waters and did not involve
U.S. citizens.
At issue was whether or not the slaves were property. Judge Judson, in the district
court, ruled that the Amistad captives were “born free” and kidnapped in violation
of international law and that they had mutinied out of a “desire of winning their
liberty and of returning to their families and kindred.”
The case was appealed to the Supreme Court. Former President John Quincy
Adams was persuaded to argue the case before them. The Supreme Court
announced on March 9, 1841 that the Africans were “kidnapped Africans, who by
the laws of Spain itself were entitled to their freedom.” The decision was not a
repudiation of slavery, but based on the 1820 treaty between Spain and Great
Britain banning importation of slaves into Spanish colonies.
Under the ruling, the Africans could stay in the U.S. or go back to Africa. Money
was raised and the Africans went back to Africa in November of 1841.
The case was widely debated and encouraged abolitionists.
Amistad Essay
Scenario #1: Imagine that you are living in Africa in the 1830’s. You were taken from
your parents, marched to the coast of Africa, and are now chained in a smelly, dark ship's
hold. How do you feel? What are you thinking? What would your biggest fears be? If you
were a child on the Amistad, would you have liked Cinque? Why or why not?
Scenario #2: Imagine that you are Cinque and you have just been told that you and your
companions are to be killed. How do you feel? What will you do? How would you justify
your actions?
Scenario #3: Imagine that you are a slave trader. Why are you in this business? What
are your feelings toward your slaves? Do you regard them as people, or property, or
both? How would you justify feeling this way about your slaves?
Your essay should be 1 and a half pages long.