Thursday, February 9, 2012

USCIS 100:09 Life, Liberty, and La Amistad

USCIS 100:09. What are two rights in the Declaration of Independence?

Hale Woodruff, The Amistad Mutiny, 1839: Panel 1: The Mutiny Aboard the Amistad, 1839, oil on canvas, 1939. Talladega College

Happy African-American History Month! Today we continue our exploration of the USCIS History and Government questions and African American History. Today we will talk about USCIS 100:09. What are two rights in the Declaration of Independence?

Hale Woodruff, The Amistad Mutiny, 1839: Panel 2: The Amistad Slaves on Trial, 1840 (detail), oil on canvas, 1939. Talladega College

We will first read about question 09 from the USCIS M638 quick civics lesson. Then we will talk about a slave revolt on a slave ship, La Amistad. We will also talk about the leader of the slaves Singbe Peh, also known as Joseph Cinque, and the abolitionistist who supported the Amistad Africans.

Hale Woodruff, The Amistad Mutiny, 1839: Panel 2: The Amistad Slaves on Trial, 1840 (detail), oil on canvas, 1939. Talladega College

Finally we will discuss their Supreme Court case in which John Quincy Adams, son of President John Adams, defended the actions of Amistad Africans based on the inalienable rights of life and liberty as stated in the Declaration of Independence. Let's get started!

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USCIS 100:09. What are two rights in the Declaration of Independence?

++ life
++ liberty
++ pursuit of happiness


Hale Woodruff, The Amistad Mutiny, 1839: Panel 3: The Return to Africa, 1842, oil on canvasa, 1939. Talladega College

For more info, see:

Amistad: The Slave Uprising Aboard the Spanish Schooner by Helen Kromer
Ardency: A Chronicle of the Amistad Rebels by Kevin Young (poetry)
The Voyage of La Amistad: A Quest for Freedom (DVD documentary)
Amistad (DVD Hollywood film)

If you enjoy Asian films, checkout our contributor Jon Jung's podcast & blog: VCinema

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