Questions on La Amistad

Grades 3-5

What is a ship, and why do people travel by boat?
Why do you think the people on La Amistad wanted to take control of the ship?
How do you think the captives felt when they were taken from their homes?
What does it mean to be free? Why do you think the people on La Amistad fought for their freedom?
What do you think happened when the captives won control of the ship?
How do you think the people on La Amistad communicated with each other since they spoke different languages?
Why is it important to learn about stories like La Amistad?
Can you think of a time when someone stood up for what was right? What happened?
How would you feel if you were on a ship and didn’t know where you were being taken?
Why do you think people still fight for their rights today?

Grades 6-8

What events led to the rebellion on La Amistad?
Why was it significant that the captives were kidnapped from Africa and not legally enslaved?
How did the captives manage to take control of the ship?
Why do you think the ship’s crew tried to trick the captives into sailing toward the United States instead of Africa?
How did language barriers affect the trial and the way the captives communicated their story?
What role did abolitionists play in helping the captives win their case?
How did the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling impact the future of slavery?
Compare La Amistad to other acts of resistance by enslaved people. How were they similar or different?
How do you think the captives felt when they were finally able to return to Africa?
What lessons can we learn from La Amistad about justice and standing up for what is right?

Grades 9-12

How did the La Amistad case challenge the legal and moral foundations of slavery in the United States?
What arguments did both sides use in the Supreme Court trial? Which do you find more compelling?
How did John Quincy Adams’s defense of the captives shape the case’s outcome?
How did international laws on slavery play a role in the legal decision?
What does the La Amistad rebellion reveal about the resistance of enslaved people to their oppression?
How did the Amistad case influence the abolitionist movement in the U.S.?
Why did the U.S. government initially try to return the captives to Spanish authorities, and what does this tell us about American politics at the time?
Compare La Amistad to the Haitian Revolution—how did both events impact global discussions on slavery?
What were the long-term effects of the La Amistad case on U.S. law and international relations?
How does La Amistad’s story challenge common narratives about enslaved people being passive victims?

Freedom Banner – Create a visual representation of the journey of La Amistad, showing key events from capture to the Supreme Court case.
Mock Trial – Reenact the Supreme Court case, with students playing the roles of the captives, lawyers, judges, and abolitionists.
First-Person Journal – Write a diary entry from the perspective of one of the captives, describing their thoughts and experiences.
News Article – Write a historical newspaper article covering the La Amistad trial as if it were happening today.
Speech Analysis – Read and analyze John Quincy Adams’s arguments before the Supreme Court. Rewrite his speech in modern language.
Comparison Project – Compare the Amistad case to another historical rebellion or legal case involving slavery.
Art & Resistance – Create an artistic piece that symbolizes the captives’ fight for freedom.
Documentary Short Film – Create a short film summarizing the events of La Amistad and its significance in history.
Modern Parallels – Research and present on a modern case of human rights violations and compare it to La Amistad.

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