Rice and Slaves offered a more sensible version of the slave trade. Littlefield seems to argue that the ones involved in the trade were more about business then racism. Even claiming at one point that the Europeans wouldn’t of cared if the slaves were red, white, or yellow. These arguments and facts are very descriptive and sometimes difficult to follow. But, overall I learned more from the book then from the film. It gave me a more reasonable and truthful approach to the trade.

This doesn’t hold true as result of his appeal to the Supreme Court. I tip my hat off at the Supreme Court at this time for doing a non-ethnocentric and right choice. This decided 6-1 that Singbay and the others were not slaves and were welcome to go back to Africa. But, I can’t help to think of political agenda every time a right decision is made. It would make sense to me that Singbay and the others were not furnished the voyage back to Africa so they could be exploited by a political agenda. Such as the abolitionist using them to gain support for their cause and social reform. It would seem to be really effective especially when Singbay quotes the bible during a abolitionist tour. But, eventually they are returned to Africa and the greater good was done. I really see John Adams and the six members of the Supreme Court as being better men then most in a time of such ignorance.

The current president at that time Martin Van Buren threw many efforts to try to have these Africans shipped to Cuba. But, he faced tough opposition by the abolitionist and the Africans attorney John Quincy Adams. Who were also a former president and the lawyer of the British in the Boston Massacre. After winning in the smaller courts, a appeal was filed by Van Buren to the Supreme Court. Threw this action along I see Van Buren a very ethnocentric man. He is supposed to be the model citizen of the country but he shows little sorrow or respect for the kidnapped Africans of the Amistad. He would rather see them spend their lives in servitude then to return to Africa. This opposes his statements made in his inaugural address in which he claims, “I feel that I belong to a later age” depicti

Some topics in this essay:
Rice Slaves, European African, Supreme Court, West Indies, Amistad Amistad, Van Buren, Quincy Adams, Africans Amistad, Social Relations, Africans Using, slave trade, rice slaves, “slave ship”, supreme court, belief system, van buren, slave ship, ones involved, john quincy adams, trans-atlantic slave, involved slave, trans-atlantic slave trade, ones involved slave,