The United States v. The Libellants and Claimants of the Schooner Amistad
United States Supreme Court
40 U.S. 518 (1841)
- Written by Tammy Boggs, JD
Facts
Several Spanish citizens boarded a ship, the Amistad, and departed a Cuban port with a group of Africans. The Spaniards claimed their entitlement to transport the Africans as slaves and possessed some kind of written authorization signed by a Cuban official. At sea, the Africans revolted and took control of the ship. About a month later, the Amistad was found off the coast of New York by an American naval officer who seized the ship and brought the parties before the United States District Court. In relevant court proceedings, the Spaniards asserted ownership over the Africans as slaves. The United States intervened on behalf of the Spaniards, solely seeking restitution of Spanish property based on American treaty obligations. The Africans responded that they were not slaves but free people, kidnapped in Africa, and unlawfully transported away from their home country, i.e., victims of illegal slave trading. The district court found in favor of the Africans, declared them free, and ordered them returned to the coast of Africa. (Under both American and Spanish law at the time, slave trading was prohibited. In the United States, illegally imported slaves were transported to the coast of Africa.) The United States appealed to the Circuit Court, which affirmed, and then appealed to the United States Supreme Court.
Rule of Law
Issue
Holding and Reasoning (Story, J.)
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