Amistad: Enslavement Or Freedom?

The Nature of Man According to Amistad: Enslavement or Freedom?

The movie, Amistad, is based on the dramatic story of the enslaved Africans who free themselves from their captors and seek recognition of their freedom in the Supreme Court. The Africans are represented by former President John Quincy Adams who recognizes the more substantive if dehumanizing legal questions at the heart of this case, particularly those that imply the Africans’ status purely that of property. A good majority of his argument incorporates the Aristotelian concepts of pathos and logos. By incorporating original American ideals and humanizing his clients before the Court, Adams moves the the rationale of the case from one of property rights to one of human rights,

He establishes a connection between Cinque, his African client, and the audience and by doing so he shifts their perception of what or who Cinque really is. Adams does this in many ways throughout the case. He continuously says Cinque’s name when referring to him, turning him into an actual human being rather than an object in the eyes of the audience. Adams also calls Cinque his “friend”, once again reversing the dehumanization originally placed upon him. By providing information about Cinque’s life and situation, people immediately feel a relationship with Cinque as something or someone who they can somewhat relate to. Cinque and the other Africans transform from objects no different from canned goods to individuals almost equal to every other person in the room regardless of their

When he speaks to the court he asks them to recognize justice and the natural rights of the Africans. Adams points out the definition of justice during this trial because thus far the executive power has only shown sympathy in the favor of the Spanish claims. He asks the court to consider what justice is. He defines justice as “the constant and perpetual will to secure to every one his own right." He also argues that the captive’s fate should be decided on the basis of natural rights, the same rights as to which the government was founded upon. Pointing to the Declaration of Independence, Adams addresses the court saying that this law should be used to determine the outcome of this case. He states “I know of no other law that reaches the case of my clients, but the law of Nature and of Nature's God on which our fathers placed our own national existence.” Adams makes a point to emphasize that nowhere in the constitution are men termed as property and the word slave is excluded; meaning that these individuals should be given the same rights. Outside of him stressing the emotional appeal that this court should take into “consideration all of the rights, both natural and social, of every one of these individuals;” his argument is rooted with factual evidence that shows how the Amistad crew members acts against the laws of Great Britain, Spain and