Revolt Aboard the Amistad (1839)In 1839, 53 African slaves being transported on the Spanish merchant ship
La Amistad revolted against their captors. Though their transport to the US was illegal, when they arrived in New York they were declared salvage by the US Navy and were taken to be sold as slaves. The widely publicized court cases that ensued helped propel the abolitionist movement. In 1842, the Africans finally returned home after the Supreme Court ruled they were not legally slaves. What does "amistad" mean?
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