Prepare for trial! You must decide whether the Africans will be set free or forced into slavery. You will use the argument of the time to make the best case possible. There are no right answers. If you argue more effectively then your opponent, you win regardless!
Each of you will be assigned to one of the groups involved in the Amistad case. Some of you will play the role of greedy slaveholders, out to obtain more human beings for forced work. Others will play the role of noble abolitionists, there to free the African captives so they can return to their homeland. Other class members will play the role of court officials including a judge to keep order and a jury to decide the African's fate. Finally, others in the class will play the role as historians, trying to cover the history of the African American people though time.
Each of you will be assigned to one of the following groups:
• Courtroom Officials
• Reporters
• Lawyers: The Prosecution
• Lawyers: The Defence
• Historiens
In order to participate in this trial, you must be prepared. The judge and jury member must know about trial procedures, weighing evidence, and how to arrive at fair decisions. Trial lawyers on either side must know the facts of the case and the arguments which will win over the jury's mind. The reporters and witness must know how to present evidence to the court and how to tell a story.
You will find special instructions for each group to help you conduct your research. You will use the Web, classroom resources and your own imaginations to prepare your role for trial. During the discovery phase, you will gather evidence, define your roles, and learn the procedures of the courtroom.
Next, the research at the computer will stop. Private investigations will no longer be allowed. Should the court need to display evidence, the projector will be used.
You will now enter into trial preliminaries. During this phase, court officials will make the classroom ready, trial lawyers will solicit their witnesses and reporters will interview the important persons.
The trial. Everyone will be called to order. A jury will be selected. Witnesses will be sworn in. Each side will present their case. The prosecution will go first. The defence will follow with their arguments. In the end the jury will decide who has made the best case. During the trial, some of you will be called as witnesses. Others will keep order in the courtroom. Jury members must keep notes for their deliberations.
After the trial, an evaluation of the entire proceedings will be conducted. You will be asked several questions including:
How well prepared were you?
Who did you think did the best job presenting their case?
What can we learn from this case regarding human nature and freedom?
