Goals of these exercises:

    Students will use primary documents to study the trials as a search for evidence and for justice. They will gain skills in public speakingand in organizing, reconciling, and critically evaluating various accounts and versions of the story.
Additionally, they will explore 19th century law, both national and international.

Preparatory assignment:

    Students will select a specific aspect of the case to study in depth based on the role they will play in the mock trial. Primary documents from the ExploringAmistad digital library listed in the bibliography below are starting points. Students will find supplemental material by searching the web site and the library database.

In-class activity:

    Set up a mock trial representing the Supreme Court, Circuit Court or District Court Trial. Students will assume roles of the Africans, judge, defense attorneys, prosecutors, newspaper reporters, court reporters, and abolitionists. They can create a written record of the trail proceedings from various perspectives presented in the trial.

    How does the written record of the mock trial compare with the real historical documentation?

    What insight is gained about the legal system and the nature of the Amistad incident?

    Is the classroom verdict the same as the one in 1839?

Exploring Amistad Resources for:

A Supreme Court Mock Trial

A Circuit Court Mock Trial

A District Court MockTrial

Bibliography for the Supreme Court Trial:

[return to top]

Primary Documents

    JOURNAL ENTRIES:

        Diary Entry: 12 Jan. 1841, John Quincy Adams, Jan. 12, 1841.

        Adams has long, frank conversation with Baldwin regarding the Amistad case, planning strategy for Supreme Court defense. Baldwin proposes starting with motion that Supreme Court dismiss the case# U.S. has no interest in case, thus no right to appeal District Court’s decision.

    COURT RECORDS:

        Argument of Roger S. Baldwin of New Haven, before the Supreme Court of the United States, in the Case of the United States, Appellants vs. Cinque, and Others, Africans of the Amistad, U.S. Supreme Court, Feb. 22, 1841.

        Baldwin's arguments before the Supreme Court in late February of 1841.

        Argument of John Quincy Adams before the United States Supreme Court, (in five parts:1, 2, 3, 4, 5). U.S. Supreme Court, Feb. 24, 1841.

        Part one of John Quincy Adams' arguments before the Supreme Court in defense of the Amistad Africans.

        United States Supreme Court Decision in the Amistad Case (part 1),( in three parts: 1, 2, 3). U.S. Supreme Court, March, 1841. (Find Law Inc., Jan. 11, 1997)

        Joseph Story delivers the court's final decision regarding the Amistad captives.

    NEWS ARTICLES:

        Adams Letter on Amistad Africans, New York Journal of Commerce, Dec. 25, 1839.

        John Quincy Adams examines the case of Amistad captives from the perspectives of law, democracy, and humanity.

        The Amistad Africans, New York Journal of Commerce, Jan. 27, 1841.

        An analysis of the law (relevant to the upcoming Supreme Court trial) that claims to authorize the delivery of the Amistad Africans to the Spanish authorities, the facts in the record, and the claims of Ruiz, Montez or the Spanish Minister.

        The Captives of the Amistad, New York Journal of Commerce, Feb.23, 1841.

        An account of Roger Baldwin's opening argument to the Supreme Court of the United States on February 23, 1841.

        Adams Argument, New York Journal of Commerce, Feb. 27, 1841.

        A report on the Amistad Supreme Court trial commenting on the death of Justice Babour, the United State's involvement with Cuba, and the proceedings of the trial.

        Synopsis of John Quincy Adams' Deliberations on 3/1/1841, New York Journal of Commerce, March 3, 1841.

        On this day of deliberation, John Quincy Adams attacks the insufficient passport the Spanish had for claiming the Africans as property.

Secondary Material

        Supreme Court Justices, 1841 , Legal Information Institute, 1997.

        Brief biographies of the nine United States Supreme Court justices presiding over the Amistad case in 1841.

        John Quincy Adams: Congressman, Advocate, Fred Dalzell.

        John Quincy Adams: former president and cantankerous congressmen who helped plead the Africans' case before the U.S. Supreme Court.

        Roger Sherman Baldwin: Defense Attorney for the Amistad Captives , Calvin Lane.

        A detailed biography of Roger Sherman Baldwin, the Africans' defense attorney throughout their legal fight for freedom.

        Joseph Story: Associate Justice, U.S. Supreme Court, Calvin Lane.

        A detailed biography of the Associate Justice who delivered the majority opinion of the United States Supreme Court, freeing the Amistad captives in March of 1841.

        The Amistad Story: The Trials

        A summary of the legal trip the Amistad case took through the United States courts.

Non-web resources

        See the Exploring Amistad Bibliography for books, articles, images, archival collections and general references only available off-line.

Bibliography for the Circuit Court Proceedings

[return to top]

Primary Documents

    NEWS ARTICLES:

        Important from Hartford, by Express: Case of Captured Africans, New York Morning Herald, Sept. 23, 1839.

        Entire record of the circuit court trial.

        The Amistad, New York Commercial Advertiser, Sept. 23, 1839.

        Lewis Tappan reports, in detail, of the proceedings in the Circuit Court of Connecticut on September 20, 1839.

        The Amistad, New York Commercial Advertiser, Sept. 24, 1839.

        A summary of Judge Thompson's decision to deny the Amistad Africans discharge under the writ of habeas corpus.

        The Case of the Africans decided for the present#Habeas Corpus not sustained, New York Morning Herald, Sept. 25, 1839.

        Description of the trial proceedings in late September of 1839.

        The Amistad: Trial Proceedings, Richmond Enquirer, Sept. 27, 1839.

        A detailed description of the proceedings of the Amistad case in the United States Circuit Court, in Hartford,

Conn.

        Decision of Judge Thompson, Richmond Enquirer, Oct. 1, 1839.

        A report of Judge Thompson's decision given in District Court on September 23,1839.

        The Africans, Coloured American, March 27, 1841.

        A joyous reaction to the Circuit Court's decision declaring the Amistad Africans "freemen" and a report on their activities.

    GOVERNMENT PAPERS:

        License for Don Jose Ruiz , Spanish Government, June 6, 1839.

        License identifying Amistad Africans as Ladinos and granting Don Jose Ruiz permission to move them to Puerto Principe.

        License for Pedro Montez , Spanish Government, June, 1839.

        License and pass for three Africans held by Don Pedro Montez

    POPULAR MEDIA:

        A History of the Amistad Captives, 1840, John Warner Barber, (Barber, Hitchcock and Stafford), Jan. 1, 1840. Section 15 of this descriptive essay recounts Justice Thompson's denial of a writ of habeas corpus for the Africans during the case's preliminary hearing.

Non-web resources

        See the Exploring Amistad Bibliography for books, articles, images, archival collections and general references only available off-line.

Bibliography for the District Court Proceedings

[return to top]

Primary Documents

    NEWS ARTICLES:

        Present State of the Amistad Case, New York Commercial Advertiser, Oct. 1, 1839.

        The author, T., explains the facts of the Amistad case to the general public before the District Court Trial is to take place.

        Slaves of the Amistad, Richmond Enquirer, Nov. 26, 1839 (Charleston Courier, Nov. 19, 1839).

        A newspaper correspondence regarding the activities in court on the first day of the District Court trial in Hartford, November , 1839.

        Case of the Amistad, Charleston Courier, Nov. 26, 1839.

        Description of District Court proceedings on 20 November, when discussion centered on the question of jurisdiction. After hearing testimony on the location of the Amistad at the time of her capture and hearing testimony from Dr. Madden, the court adjourned until January, at which time Covey would be there to translate for the Africans.

        African Testimony, New York Journal of Commerce, Jan. 10, 1840.

        Testimony by Cinque, Grabeau, Fuliwa, including their capture, travel from Africa to Cuba, and revolt aboard Amistad.

        The Amistad Africans, New York Journal of Commerce, Jan. 15, 1840.

        Summary of Connecticut District Court Judge Andrew Judson’s decision to free the Amistad Africans and accompanying claims.

    COURT RECORDS:

        James Covey's Testimony, U.S. Supreme Court, Jan. of 1840. The testimony of James Covey, the hired interpreter for the Amistad case, to the U.S. District Court.

Secondary Material

        A History of the Amistad Captives, 1840, John Warner Barber, (Barber, Hitchcock, and Stafford), Jan. 1, 1840.

        Section 16 of this descriptive essay recounts the opening and closing of both the Circuit and District Courts during the Amistad legal battle.

        The Amistad Judge: The Life and Trials of Andrew Judson, 1784-1853, Douglas L. Stein, The Log of Mystic Seaport, Spring, 1998.

        The career of Andrew Judson as a justice and his important District Court decision in the Amistad case.

        Andrew Judson: Presiding Justice, District Court Trial, Amistad Case, Calvin Lane.

        A short biography of Justice Andrew Judson.

Non-web resources

        See the Exploring Amistad Bibliography for books, articles, images, archival collections and general references only available off-line.