Summary of Amistad Essay

This film begins with Joseph Cinqué (whose true title was Sengbe Pieh), an African on the schooner La Amistad, main a revolt that frees the opposite Africans and kills many of the crew. They drive the ship’s captain to steer again to Africa, however the captain tips them and heads to america the place the Africans are captured and jailed.

Phrase will get out instantly to U.S. President Martin Van Buren, Queen Isabella II of Spain, and a gaggle of abolitionists.

The group of Africans are charged with mutiny and homicide. There are additionally property claims by the Queen Isabella II of Spain, the captain of the ship, the individuals who captured the Africans, and others. A younger lawyer, Baldwin, is introduced on the case by the abolitionists.

Baldwin finds a translator (Chiwetel Ejiofor in his first movie position) and talks to Cinqué, who has develop into the chief of the group of Africans. In flashbacks, Cinqué tells about his life.

He was captured in Africa and delivered to the Caribbean Islands by an notorious Center Passage slave vessel named the Tecora. Cinqué tells of the varied horrors of the Center Passage, equivalent to when fifty individuals had been drowned to save lots of rations. Cinqué was lastly taken to the Caribbean Islands, the place he was illegally offered to the homeowners of La Amistad.

Within the district court docket, Baldwin brings as proof a e book he discovered on the ship. It conclusively proves that the Africans did certainly come from Africa. The defendants’ birthplace was a matter of crucial significance as a result of U.S. regulation on the time outlawed anybody who wasn’t the kid of a slave from being enslaved (based mostly on the availability in america Structure that permitted Congress to outlaw the African slave commerce beginning within the 12 months 1809). This meant that these held aboard La Amistad had been being traded illegally, and had been formally kidnapped residents of West Africa. As such, they had been legally permitted to make use of lethal drive to safe their launch (thus making the killings upon the ship justifiable murder somewhat than homicide). Thus whether or not or not the defendants had been born in Africa was crucial to figuring out whether or not their conduct was certainly justificable murder or homicide.

Upon seeing the log e book from the ship, the presiding decide seems ready to rule for Baldwin. However President Van Buren, underneath stress from the South, replaces the decide with a youthful decide who Van Buren can affect. It’s thought that this may lead to a ruling towards the defendants. Nevertheless, the brand new decide surprises the Administration by ruling in favor of the defendants. The decide concludes that they had been born in Africa, and thus had been permitted to make use of lethal drive to withstand those who would enslave them. He orders their return to Africa at Authorities expense, and additional orders the arrest of the would-be slavetraders.

The prosecution then appeals the case to the Supreme Courtroom, the place seven of the 9 justices are slave homeowners. Baldwin lastly convinces former president John Quincy Adams to assist him on the case. After some communication with Cinqué, Baldwin and Adams are able to current the case (Baldwin making the case to the Supreme Courtroom isn’t proven). John Quincy Adams then provides a speech on slavery and the case typically. The Supreme Courtroom then (March 9, 1841) guidelines in favor of the Amistad Africans, in an opinion by Justice Joseph Story. Story was performed within the film by an precise retired Supreme Courtroom justice, Harry Blackmun.

The tip of the film notes that Cinqué returned to Africa, the slave fortress he went by means of was destroyed by the Royal Navy, and the American Civil Battle was fought over many points, slavery amongst them.