During the time prior to the Amistad incident there was a few laws that were passed in regards to wither slavery and/or slave trade was legal. At the time America, as well as Spain and Britain, did allow slaves to be owned but slave trade was illegal. Important slaves was made illegal in America in 1808, and was later reinforced with the Act of 1819. Spain and Britain also banned slavery trade in 1817. I believe that the major law that was passed on slave trade that mattered the most in this instance was that in 1817 and 1835 the treaties of Anglo-Spanish were passes, which made slave trade illegal and a capital crime. So during the Amistad incident slave trade was illegal in at least four countries, all of which had a part in the incident.
During the
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One issue that arises is in the court case the movie made the fact that the captives were really from Africa dramatically by evidence, while in real life a simple statement was from the captives was enough. During the film Spielberg focuses on stereotypes of the captives, and doesn’t use the information that was written down by John Barber on the captive’s life and story. The last mistake that I feel was made about the movie was that it lacked the information that truly showed how complex and harsh Africa was at the time. It completely disregarded the real role of the war in Africa and how much it added to the story. Personally I feel that while these inaccuracies didn’t taint the story to much as the same basic story was still there, just Hollywoodized. Though I do feel like it doesn’t represent history enough. The fact that so much information about Africa and the captives being less humanized does fade away from the true story. Personally I enjoyed the movie, but I feel that reading the true story was a lot more interesting as it showed just how important it was for such an incident to
For example, the majority of the film was concerned with the key question of “Where did they come from?” In Jones’ book, we learn very early on that the people in question had in fact came from Africa, therefore nullifying any claims made towards them that they could be considered property. In the movie, we are kept in suspense of learning this truth all for the effect of building tension, to have this realization be the pivotal moment where it was clear who should win the case. With such heavy focus on this one element, the film neglected to expand on details of other factors playing a part in the court’s decision, such as the looming threat of civil war, international relations with Spain, and the push from President Van Buren who desired an outcome that would increase his odds of re-election. The film is also guilty in misrepresenting the way the case was handled in the Supreme Court. It is implied through the film that the words of John Quincy Adams alone swayed the judges into voting favorably against slavery, however as we learn in the book the case was really centered on the Atlantic Slave Trade instead of the issue of slavery within America. Spielberg’s inclusion of the fictional character Theodore Joadson also takes away from historical accuracy and diminishes the contributions of the abolitionist Lewis Tappan. Therefore it can be said that the advantage of reading the book over watching the film is that the book is less focused on tension building and more focused on providing details on the legal battle and the ramifications of the decision
I would like to point out the poignant cinematography, which was very innovative for its time. The narration and the filming introducing what was about to be uncovered must have been extremely moving in a melancholy way. The mise-en-scène is both compelling and haunting, each frame cleverly editied. Resnais experimented with what is known as the long shot, and the 360 degree shot, to make the voyeur very aware of the unbalanced composition. The panning of the film tracking back from Auschwitz brings us a close up, of barbed wire. This clearly suggests that this isn't what it appears to be. Resnais films the past in black and white, and the then present in colour. The ambiance is chilling, and the composed background music unique. Where normally dramatic loud music would be used to express the abonimation and enormity of the most horrendous scenes, Resnais did quite the contrary.
Although it was very graphic it explained the horrific mistreatment of the slaves that were packed in so tightly they couldn’t even move on their sides and describing it as a slaughterhouse. I found it interesting how in previous history textbooks I had read in high school the conditions of the transportation of slaves had not been explained in such a gruesome way. It was useful in trying to comprehend the unspeakable living conditions in which the slaves had to live
Almost as soon as the United States became an independent nation, a law was passed in 1794 to attempt to put an end to the slave trade. “An act to prohibit the carrying on of the slave trade from the United States to any foreign place or county”, it also prohibited any slave ships from being
Though the Atlantic Slave Trade began in 1441, it wasn’t until nearly a century later that Europeans actually became interested in slave trading on the West African coast. “With no interest in conquering the interior, they concentrated their efforts to obtain human cargo along the West African coast. During the 1590s, the Dutch challenged the Portuguese monopoly to become the main slave trading nation (“Africa and the Atlantic Slave Trade”, NA). Besides the trading of slaves, it was also during this time that political changes were being made. The Europe...
In the 1800s, the slave trade is very important to many European countries and America. One of the only countries that does not partake in the slave trade is Great Britain. Great Britain outlaws slavery and many countries like the United States have yet to do so. Many Africans make deals with slave traders. They kidnap people from their own tribes and give them to the slave traders. In return the slave traders give them material goods such as guns. The idea and act of slave trading is what leads to the uprising of 1839 on the ship La Amistad. Many Africans are taken from their homes and forced on ships to sail across the seas to unknown lands. The theme of trading is very important to Amistad, the movie, because it is what begins the whole entire issue of
But the film actually made me recall a question that I always had: to what extent can we, as somewhere who are not involved in the events, criticize people, especially the wrongdoers, who did partake in the history? As people from the 21st century, we know that slavery is unjust and horrible because we were raised in a society where love and peace were honored. When I questioned myself what would I do if I were Edwin Epps, Marry Epps, or William Ford, I began to question myself how much can I criticize them people when the cruelty was norm, and all those people did really was to follow the norm. Although it would be righteous and courageous to stand up for the blacks, not everyone is all courageous and willing to challenge the society. The film reminded me to have my own judgment and not to blindly follow what everyone else consider to be the norm. This film also made me wonder: when it is many years from now, how much of the social norm today would be considered to be cruel and
Malick’s vision with this film followed his goal to entertain the viewers. He followed the novel from James Jones . Although the film contained inaccuracies according to history it still inc...
Removing truthful backbone of the story, as its own fictional story the film is quite good. This was made when Frankenheimer was in his prime, one man who knew how to use black and white photography to full effect. The unusual subject matter is treated in an interesting manner, turning this true story into quite a unique prison film, one of the more eclectic ones on this
Ever since movies began to be made after historical events they always include inaccuracies in the ways they depict them. Film’s ability to offer visual representation of historical events sure beat reading a book due to the fact they fill the viewer up with information and entertainment. History films are a stand-in for reality, leading the viewer to witness wars, and events as if he/she is present during that time. Directors tend to see the injunction to present the past accurately in terms of plot and set design and do whatever it is possible to get these details right. The focus of some directors is to catch the viewers’ attention so that people will actually go see the film. They are often forced to sacrifice real events and add a twist to it so that it becomes more entertaining to watch. In the movies; Flags of our Fathers, The Great Raid, The Thin Red Line, and Pearl Harbor directors did whatever they could to depict events accurately. Major events are described as they really happened, but there is always something added that did not exactly occur from what the textbook tel...
The movie for the most part is accurate, even though most commentators have a different standpoint. Many of us are aware of the revolution and other important historical events. But, what we have to put into perspective is they the way all of these historical events have been perceived.
The Atlantic slave trade, although gruesome and detrimental in nature it was one of the most profitable industries of its time. It was mostly Europeans and Spaniards who imported slaves from Africa to the Americas. However, Europeans and Spaniards did not act alone the majority of the Africans captured were either captured by their own people or stolen from neighboring west African villages and exploited for commerce. Although both exported and indigenous slaves alike faced extreme hardships their experiences have differed in comparison. These contrasting experiences of these varying
In conclusion, after view this film, it is clear that one can see how black youth are being viewed as killers and savages. This is not true. There have been many admirable scholars and scientists who come from the African American culture. This movie, though it depicts what goes on in South America, takes the violence committed by black youth too far. One cannot view a film and take it that this is what a race is like. The filmmakers depicted black youth in a harsher light.
The origins of the Atlantic Slave Trade began at the purchase of slaves from slave traders. This was due by the formally arrangement that was done by the king of Oba. Where European trade goods were distributed in return for the procuring of slaves (Hine 34). Though this might be seen as wrong in today’s view. The trading of people was seen as normal to the eyes of the Europeans. This was a form of gaining more labor for their crops and a beneficial method for them. Since the workforce of the slaves would not be paid.
The film Amistad by Steven Spielberg is based on actual events that occurred in 1839 on a ship by the name of La Amistad. This ship was carrying about 40 African people beneath the deck. As this ship travels from Cuba to the United States, the slave leader by the name of Cinqué escapes his shackles, unlocks all the other slaves shackles and leads a revolt against the crew members; eventually overthrowing all the crew member and taking charge of the ship. They spare the lives of two crewmembers in order to use them to steer the ship in the right direction on their journey back to Africa. However, the crewmembers trick the mutineers into thinking that they were headed back to Africa, but instead they had steered the ship to the east coast of the United States.