LYCOS RETRIEVER 
Amistad Revolt: Joseph Cinque
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You are first to review the facts of the Amistad revolt, including the legal proceedings that ended in the Supreme Court decision that the Amistad captives were free Africans, not slaves. Then, using newspaper reports of the times, examine how Cinque and his companions were described by reporters, tracing the shifts in public opinion that occurred on both sides as the case developed. Next look at visual representations of Cinque from those times, and note how these images reflect the views of those who made them as much as the physical reality of the man. Then, attempt to lift away these layers of partisan perception by examining transcripts of Cinque's testimony and letters written by his companions, to see if you can arrive at an unmediated view of this individual whom many now recognize as a hero. Finally, critically view the Spielberg version of Amistad to gain an understanding of how a film version influences public opinion. To conclude the lesson, you will produce your own portait of Cinque, in a biographical profile or an editorial.
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This lesson plan, from EDSITEment, focuses on Cinque, the leader of the 1839 Amistad revolt, drawing on a variety of documentary resources to examine how he was perceived by Americans on both sides of the debate over slavery. Students first review the facts of the Amistad revolt, including the legal proceedings that ended in the Supreme Court decision that the Amistad captives were free Africans, not slaves. Then, using newspaper reports of the times, students examine how Cinque and his companions were described by reporters, tracing the shifts in public opinion that occurred on both sides as the case developed. Students next look at visual representations of Cinque from those times, noting how these images reflect the views of those who made them as much as the physical reality of the man. Finally, students attempt to lift away these layers of partisan perception by examining transcripts of Cinque's testimony and letters written by his companions, to see if they can arrive at an unmediated view of this individual whom many now recognize as a hero. To conclude the lesson, students produce their own portrait of Cinque, in a biographical profile or an editorial.
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The resources available should give you a good idea of the conflicting reports about Cinque, the leader of the Amistad revolt, that appeared in various newspapers at the time. The following are news reports that include a description of Cinque during the period when he first came to public attention:
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Embodying the Amistad revolt is the charismatic leader Cinque. Who he was and what cultural forces prepared him to take command and, ultimately to find a way to lead the Amistad captives home, is a critical factor in the events that unfolded in 1839.
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Joseph Cinque