United States V. the Amistad: The Question of Slavery in a Free Country (Supreme Court Cases Through Primary Sources)

In 1839, 53 Africans were illegally purchased and shipped to the Caribbean on The Amistad. During the voyage, the Africans seized the ship and killed the captain and one crewmember. The ship was soon seized and the Africans were imprisoned. Though the murder charges were dismissed, the Africans were held in confinement as the question property rights was argued. When the Federal Court determined that the Africans were not legitimate property because they were illegally held as slaves, the case was heard by the Supreme Court.David Hulm is the author of 'United States V. the Amistad: The Question of Slavery in a Free Country (Supreme Court Cases Through Primary Sources)', published 2003 under ISBN 9780823940134 and ISBN 0823940136.