Amistad Mutiny
Amistad Mutiny was a slave rebellion including 53 slaves, that occurred on July 2nd, 1839. This rebellion took place on the ship Amistad off the coast of Cuba causing many legal problems during the American abolition movement. The uprising slaves killed the captain and cook on the boat, however, they spared the Spanish navigator so they could sail back home to Sierra Leone.
Two months later, the ship was seized by the United States Navy. The Amistad was then towed and taken back to New London where the mutineers were held in jail. The Spanish embassy demanded them back leading to a trial to be held in 1840. New England abolitionist Lewis Tappan was siding for the African captures and U.S government took on the pro-slavery side. The judge of the case, Andrew Judson, ruled the slaves on the ship as victims of kidnapping. The Supreme court upheld the lower court and private and missionary societies donations helped the surviving African Americans home. Only thirty five of the 53 slaves survived.
Spain consisted of the United States to pay for the cuban vessel they took. U.S. congress debated the case until the American Civil War in 1861 where the case was never concluded.
https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/mutiny-on-the-amistad-slave-ship
https://www.britannica.com/event/Amistad-mutiny
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