U.S. v. Amistad: A Case of Jurisdiction

Suggested Teaching Instructions

Objectives

Students will analyze passages from the Supreme Court's opinion in the 1841 case United States v. Libellants of Schooner Amistad to understand the steps in the federal court system and how the Supreme Court's decision affects previous rulings. Students will also interpret the Supreme Court's role in the judicial branch by connecting the document back to the United States Constitution, and ultimately decide if they agree with the Supreme Court's ruling in the case. For grades 11-12.

Instructions

Divide students into pairs or small groups; use this activity during a unit of study on the judicial system or the issue of slavery. Review the definition of jurisdiction before beginning the activity. Refer to the background essay on the Amistad case from the National Archives' Teaching With Documents lesson plan for more detailed information. Share the essay with students before beginning the activity if you have not previously discussed the facts of the case in class.

Before beginning the activity, provide students with a transcript of the United States Constitution. Prompt students to carefully examine the highlighted sections of the document and answer the questions provided. Remind them to click the arrow and magnifying glass icons in the blue menu bar at the bottom of the document to take a closer look and also to click the View Entire Document button in the bottom right corner of the document for specific citation information.

• What court had original jurisdiction?
• Which court was next to hear the case? What was the result?
• What was the Supreme Court's decision in United States v. Libellants of Schooner Amistad?
• According to the Constitution, why does the Supreme Court have the authority to hear this case? Provide the exact article and section. (Article III, Section 2)

Once students have finished writing their responses, hold a class discussion, allowing them to share their thoughts.

Ask students to click the When You're Done button at the top of the screen once they have answered the questions and click the Google Map that outlines the route the passengers of the Amistad took from Sierra-Leone to the United States. After looking at the route they took, ask them if they agree with the decision that the United States had the authority to hear the case.

Discuss with them that the Supreme Court ruled that the Africans onboard the Amistad were free individuals and that because they had been (in the opinion of the court) kidnapped and transported illegally, they had never been slaves. Then share Justice Joseph Story's quote: "...it was the ultimate right of all human beings in extreme cases to resist oppression and to apply force against ruinous injustice." After sharing the quote, ask them if they agree with Justice Story's assertion in the case.

For further information on United States v. Libellants of Schooner Amistad, see "Incited by the Love of Liberty" The Amistad Captives and the Federal Courts featured in the Spring 2003 edition of the National Archives Prologue Magazine.

For more information about the featured document, follow the link below.