Difference between revisions of "329-2010--Week 5 Questions/Comments"

In the film when Ruiz and Montes steer the ship they trick the Africans into thinking that they are sailing back to Africa by telling them that the sun is in the east, which is the direction of Africa.  They began to sail at sunset, so they actually were sailing west towards America.  In the morning, when the Africans wake up, the boat is facing the sun (the east).  That little trick correlates to the map that Dr. McClurken showed in class about the zigzag course La Amistad took.  The attitudes of the North and South were accurate, especially that of John Calhoun.  He arrives (or crashes?) the presidential dinner and gives the Spanish Ambassador an earful about how if slavery is taken away from the South, that will put the standard of living of the South even further behind that of the North.  He expresses similar views in The Executive Review that Adams references in the Supreme Court session.  The movie also accurately portrays President Van Buren’s lack of interest in the Amistad matter at first because of his focus on re-election.  Van Buren’s later challenge to the judgment does not really give him the full political support he desires, because he loses the 1840 election. –Samantha W.

In the film when Ruiz and Montes steer the ship they trick the Africans into thinking that they are sailing back to Africa by telling them that the sun is in the east, which is the direction of Africa.  They began to sail at sunset, so they actually were sailing west towards America.  In the morning, when the Africans wake up, the boat is facing the sun (the east).  That little trick correlates to the map that Dr. McClurken showed in class about the zigzag course La Amistad took.  The attitudes of the North and South were accurate, especially that of John Calhoun.  He arrives (or crashes?) the presidential dinner and gives the Spanish Ambassador an earful about how if slavery is taken away from the South, that will put the standard of living of the South even further behind that of the North.  He expresses similar views in The Executive Review that Adams references in the Supreme Court session.  The movie also accurately portrays President Van Buren’s lack of interest in the Amistad matter at first because of his focus on re-election.  Van Buren’s later challenge to the judgment does not really give him the full political support he desires, because he loses the 1840 election. –Samantha W.

Cinque's story about his voyage from Africa to America was very moving and, I thought, fairly accurate. The movie showed how he was taken abruptly from his family and life without anyone realizing it and it was Africans who captured Cinque and others to take them to the coast. The voyage on the ship was very...disgusting and shameful but according to class and the readings accurate. The treatment on the ships for the African Americans were horrible; they were shackleed up together in tight quarters, barely given any food to eat, and were dumped off the ship once the supply of food and materials started decreasing.  -Amy V.

Cinque's story about his voyage from Africa to America was very moving and, I thought, fairly accurate. The movie showed how he was taken abruptly from his family and life without anyone realizing it and it was Africans who captured Cinque and others to take them to the coast. The voyage on the ship was very...disgusting and shameful but according to class and the readings accurate. The treatment on the ships for the African Americans were horrible; they were shackleed up together in tight quarters, barely given any food to eat, and were dumped off the ship once the supply of food and materials started decreasing.  -Amy V.