Summary: Amistad is based on the true story of a group of enslaved Africans who revolt against their captors aboard the Spanish slave ship, La Amistad. The film follows their fight for freedom and the landmark legal case that resulted in their release.
Foundational Historical Facts:
- In 1839, the enslaved people aboard La Amistad mutinied and took control of the ship, but they were later captured off the coast of Long Island, leading to a significant legal battle.
- The case went to the U.S. Supreme Court, where former president John Quincy Adams argued successfully for the freedom of the Africans, declaring they had been illegally enslaved.
- The Amistad case was an important moment in the abolition movement in the United States, highlighting the struggle for freedom and the moral issues surrounding slavery.