Mutiny on the Amistad : The Saga of a Slave Revolt and Its Impact on American Abolition, Law, and Diplomacy

This book is the first full-scale treatment of the only instance in history in which African blacks, seized by slave dealers, won their freedom and returned home. In 1839, Joseph Cinque led other blacks in a revolt on the Spanish slave ship Amistad in the Caribbean. They steered the ship northward to Montauk, Long Island, where it was seized by an American naval vessel. With the Africans jailed in Connecticut and the Spaniards claiming violoation of their porperty rights, an international controversy erupted. The Amistad affair united abolotionists in the U.S. and England, drove the White house into almost any means to quiet the issue, and placed the U.S. and Spain in a confrontation that threatened to involve England and Cuba. The abolitionists, led by Lewis Tappan, Joshua Leavitt and others argued that equal justice was the central issue in the case. Appealing to natural law, evangelical arguments, and "moral suasion" in proclaiming slavery a sin, they sought to establish that all persons, black and white, has an inherent right of liberty and thereby hoped to erase the color line that formed the racial foundation of slavery. In their eyes, the mutiny on the &IAmistad offered an ideal opportunity to awaken Americans to the injustice of slavery. In this book, Howard Jones shows how the abolotionist argument put the "laws of nature" on trial in the U.S., as Tappan and the others refused to accept a legal system claiming to dispense justice while permitting artificial distinctions based on race or color. Jones vividly captures the compelling drama that climaxed in a U.S. Supreme court ruling that freed the captivces and allowed them to return to Africa. He notes that many of the abolitionists were nonetheless dissatisfied with the decision because it had not rested on the law of nature; yet, he obseves, even they failed to grasp the central importance of the affair: that America's legal system had fulfilled its function of securing justice. About the Author: Howard Jones, is Professor of History at the University of Alabama and author of The Course of American Diplomacy and To the Webster-Ashburton Treaty . Publisher Description: This Book Is The First Full-scale Treatment Of The Only Instance In History In Which African Blacks, Seized By Slave Dealers, Won Their Freedom And Returned Home. In 1839, Joseph Cinque Led Other Blacks In A Revolt On The Spanish Slave Ship, Amistad, In The Caribbean. They Steered The Ship Northward To Montauk, Long Island, Where It Was Seized By An American Naval Vessel. With The Africans Jailed In Connecticut And The Spaniards Claiming Violation Of Their Property Rights, An International Controversy Erupted. The Amistad Affair United Abolitionists In The U.s. And England, Drove The White House Into Almost Any Means To Quiet The Issue, And Placed The U.s. And Spain In A Confrontation That Threatened To Involve England And Cuba. The Abolitionists, Led By Lewis Tappan, Joshua Leavitt, And Others, Argued That Equal Justice Was The Central Issue In The Case.^ Appealing To Natural Law, Evangelical Arguments, And Moral Suasion In Proclaiming Slavery A Sin, They Sought To Establish That All Persons, Black And White, Have An Inherent Right Of Liberty And Thereby Hoped To Erase The Color Line That Formed The Racial Foundation Of Slavery. In Their Eyes, The Mutiny On The Amistad Offered An Ideal Opportunity To Awaken Americans To The Injustice Of Slavery. In This Book, Howard Jones Shows How The Abolitionists' Argument Put The Laws Of Nature On Trial In The U.s., As Tappan And The Others Refused To Accept A Legal System Claiming To Dispense Justice While Permitting Artificial Distinctions Based On Race Or Color. Jones Vividly Captures The Compelling Drama That Climaxed In A U.s. Supreme Court Ruling That Freed The Captives And Allowed Them To Return To Africa.^ He Notes That Many Of The Abolitionists Were Nonetheless Dissatisfied With The Decision Because It Had Not Rested On The Law Of Nature; Yet, He Observes, Even They Failed To Grasp The Central Importance Of The Affair: That America's Legal System Had Fulfilled Its Function Of Securing Justice. The Mutiny. -abolitionists And This Matter Of Color. -the Politics Of Justice. -the Inherent Property Of Liberty. -a National Matter. -neither Slave ... -the Politics Of Democracy. - Oh How Shall I Do Justice? -the Eternal Principles Of Justice. Howard Jones. Includes Index. Bibliography: P. 221-259.

This book is the first full-scale treatment of the only instance in history in which African blacks, seized by slave dealers, won their freedom and returned home.
In 1839, Joseph Cinque led other blacks in a revolt on the Spanish slave ship Amistad in the Caribbean. They steered the ship northward to Montauk, Long Island, where it was seized by an American naval vessel. With the Africans jailed in Connecticut and the Spaniards claiming violoation of their porperty rights, an international controversy erupted. The Amistad affair united abolotionists in the U.S. and England, drove the White house into almost any means to quiet the issue, and placed the U.S. and Spain in a confrontation that threatened to involve England and Cuba. The abolitionists, led by Lewis Tappan, Joshua Leavitt and others argued that equal justice was the central issue in the case. Appealing to natural law, evangelical arguments, and "moral suasion" in proclaiming slavery a sin, they sought to establish that all persons, black and white, has an inherent right of liberty and thereby hoped to erase the color line that formed the racial foundation of slavery. In their eyes, the mutiny on the &IAmistad offered an ideal opportunity to awaken Americans to the injustice of slavery.
In this book, Howard Jones shows how the abolotionist argument put the "laws of nature" on trial in the U.S., as Tappan and the others refused to accept a legal system claiming to dispense justice while permitting artificial distinctions based on race or color. Jones vividly captures the compelling drama that climaxed in a U.S. Supreme court ruling that freed the captivces and allowed them to return to Africa. He notes that many of the abolitionists were nonetheless dissatisfied with the decision because it had not rested on the law of nature; yet, he obseves, even they failed to grasp the central importance of the affair: that America's legal system had fulfilled its function of securing justice.
About the Author:
Howard Jones, is Professor of History at the University of Alabama and author of The Course of American Diplomacy and To the Webster-Ashburton Treaty.

This volume presents the first full-scale treatment of the only instance in history where African blacks, seized by slave dealers, won their freedom and returned home. Jones describes how, in 1839, Joseph Cinqu led a revolt on the Spanish slave ship, the Amistad , in the Caribbean. The seizure of the ship by an American naval vessel near Montauk, Long Island, the arrest of the Africans in Connecticut, and the Spanish protest against the violation of their property rights created an international controversy. The Amistad affair united Lewis Tappan and other abolitionists who put the "law of nature" on trial in the United States by their refusal to accept a legal system that claimed to dispense justice while permitting artificial distinctions based on race or color. The mutiny resulted in a trial before the U.S. Supreme Court that pitted former President John Quincy Adams against the federal government. Jones vividly recaptures this compelling drama--the most famous slavery case before Dred Scott--that climaxed in the court's ruling to free the captives and allow them to return to Africa. This volume presents the first full-scale treatment of the only instance in history where African blacks, seized by slave dealers, won their freedom and returned home. Jones describes how, in 1839, Joseph Cinqué led a revolt on the Spanish slave ship, the Amistad, in the Caribbean. The seizure of the ship by an American naval vessel near Montauk, Long Island, the arrest of the Africans in Connecticut, and the Spanish protest against the violation of their property rights created an international controversy. The Amistad affair united Lewis Tappan and other abolitionists who put the'law of nature'on trial in the United States by their refusal to accept a legal system that claimed to dispense justice while permitting artificial distinctions based on race or color. The mutiny resulted in a trial before the U.S. Supreme Court that pitted former President John Quincy Adams against the federal government. Jones vividly recaptures this compelling drama--the most famous slavery case before Dred Scott--that climaxed in the court's ruling to free the captives and allow them to return to Africa. Published to coincide with the movie "Amistad", this is the story of the only instance in history where African blacks, seized by slave dealers, won their freedom and returned home. The 1839 revolt on a Spanish slave ship ignited events which climaxed in the US court's ruling to free the captives. An account of the only instance in history where African blacks, seized by slave dealers, won their freedom and returned home. The mutiny resulted in a trial before the U.S. Supreme Court that pitted former President John Quincy Adams against the federal government. In early April 1839 the Portuguese slave merchants at Lomboko, on the west coast of Africa, were loading their human cargo onto the Tecora, in preparation for the long Middle Passage to Cuba. Traces the 1839 revolt of Africans aboard the slave ship Amistad, their apprehension, and long trial which ended in their acquittal by the Supreme Court