Brief Review of Amistad essays

Brief Review of Amistad essays The story of Amistad began in the early 1800s when a group of enslaved men, women and children are captured and put aboard a slave ship, the Tecora. While, on the Tecora they endured brutality, sickness, and death. After a horrific journey to Cuba, they were sold as Cuban born slaves and then put on a ship by the name of La Amistad. While aboard Amistad a man by the man of Cinque manages to unshackle himself and his companions. Once freed they organize a revolt and reclaim the ship only sparing two men by the name of Jose Ruiz and Don Pedro Montez, Cinque orders them to set sail into the Rising Sun back to Africa little does Cinque know that the Spaniards would secretly change course. After more than six weeks at sea, the Amistad arrives off the coast of Long Island. A surveying brig notices the Amistad and seizes the ship. The slaves are taken to New Haven and imprisoned. Ownership issues of the Africans soon reach Queen Isabella of Spain, President Martin Van Buren, and a few other interested parties, all battling for the Africans. Lawyer, Robert Baldwin finds interest in the case and decides to fight to free the Africans alongside Lewis Tappan, Abolitionist leader. As the legal battle begins, Baldwin argues that the Africans were illegally bought to America and that they should be set free, Van Buren thought differently and decides to change the judge hoping for the case to be ruled in his favor. Fortunately for Cinque the new judge ruled that they were born in Africa and were to be set free and returned to their homes in Africa. The judge also ruled that Ruiz and Montez were to be arrested for slave trading. Again President Van Buren interferes and orders an immediate appeal, and the case went to Supreme Court. At this point it is clear to Baldwin that he is going to need additional help; he decides to write a letter to President John Quincy Adams to help on their behalf. John Quincy Ad...