The Amistad Case

The Amistad case centered on a 1839 revolt aboard the Spanish slave ship La Amistad, where captured Africans seized control and demanded freedom. They were later intercepted off the U.S. coast and imprisoned. The key legal question became whether the Africans were enslaved individuals or free people who had been illegally captured. The case reached the U.S. Supreme Court, which ultimately ruled in favor of the Africans, declaring their right to determine their own fate. This landmark case highlighted issues of slavery, human rights, and international law, becoming a significant moment in the abolition movement in America.