Name:____________________
Period:___ Date:___________
“AMISTAD” ACTIVITY #4
(Use the obverse-side of this page, if you require additional space for your answers.)
1. According to the movie, what famous story does a fellow slave share with Cinque that he has
supposedly deciphered from a book he was given?
2. How does this story relate to the story of the Amistads?
3. How does religion appear to affect the outcome of the trial?
4. What part of the scenery catches the eye of one of the Africans as they are being shepherded
to court? Why?
5. What is the most important question upon which the entire case rests?
6. What causes the courtroom to erupt into a mad scene?
7. Do you feel the new judge made the right decision? (Explain your answer.)
8. What is so shocking to the Spanish ambassador Calderon regarding the courts in America?
9. What are Senator John C. Calhoun’s arguments for retaining slavery?
10. What does Senator Calhoun suggest, regarding the North’s sense of superiority over the
South?
11. Describe the effect of Calhoun’s comments on the banquet.
12. How might the Amistads be more valuable to the Abolitionist cause in death?
13. What word cannot be translated into Mende? Why?
14. Who do the Abolitionists turn to when the case is tried before the United States Supreme Court?
15. How many of the Supreme Court justices are southern slave owners?
16. How does Cinque actively try to participate in preparing his defense?
17. How does Adams respond to Cinque’s attempts to understand the process.
18. How does Adams exhibit respect for Cinque?
19. What plant does Cinque react most to?
19. Who does Cinque think will assist in the case?
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