The Economy Is Like a Balloon
GUIDE QUESTIONS FOR LA AMISTAD
1. Among the following characters of the movie La Amistad (Ruiz and Montes, Queen Isabela II, Abolitionist-Activist Lewis Tappan, President Martin Van Buren, Senator John C. Calhoun, Attorney-at-Law Roger Sherman Baldwin; District Attorney William S. Holabird, Secretary of State John Forsyth, and former US President John Quincy Adams) who do you think best represents the traditional Judeo-Christian view of human nature?
A:
2. In what way Aristotle’s traditional rationalistic view of human nature justifies treating the 53 Mende Africans as slaves?
3. If you have a Darwinian view of human nature, how will you treat the problem of the 53 Mende African captives aboard La Amistad?
4. What specific philosophy of man best fit the attitude and behavior of Ruiz and Montes towards the 53 Mende Africans? Explain.
5. One scene in the movie—conversation between Cinque and his fellow captive Yamba—highlights the life of Christ, part of which is His death on the cross and His resurrection. This was portrayed in the pictures contained in the Bible previously given to Yamba by a member of the abolitionist movement. What could be its’ possible implications to the beliefs, attitudes and behaviors of the slaves?
6. Can Sartre’s existentialist view of human nature justify Joseph Cinque and his fellow Mende African captives’ insurrection and killing of all but two of their Spanish captors aboard the Schooner La Amistad? Explain your answer?
7. Hegel’s concept of the relational (in contrast to the atomistic view) nature of man is illustrated in the former President John Quincy Adams’ conversation with Joseph Cinque (on the eve of the Supreme Court trial) as well as his closing speech before the Justices of the US Supreme Court. Do you agree? Expound.
8. La Amistad is the name of the schooner ship that carried the 53 Mende Africans to the United States. The English translation of the
1. Among the following characters of the movie La Amistad (Ruiz and Montes, Queen Isabela II, Abolitionist-Activist Lewis Tappan, President Martin Van Buren, Senator John C. Calhoun, Attorney-at-Law Roger Sherman Baldwin; District Attorney William S. Holabird, Secretary of State John Forsyth, and former US President John Quincy Adams) who do you think best represents the traditional Judeo-Christian view of human nature?
A:
2. In what way Aristotle’s traditional rationalistic view of human nature justifies treating the 53 Mende Africans as slaves?
3. If you have a Darwinian view of human nature, how will you treat the problem of the 53 Mende African captives aboard La Amistad?
4. What specific philosophy of man best fit the attitude and behavior of Ruiz and Montes towards the 53 Mende Africans? Explain.
5. One scene in the movie—conversation between Cinque and his fellow captive Yamba—highlights the life of Christ, part of which is His death on the cross and His resurrection. This was portrayed in the pictures contained in the Bible previously given to Yamba by a member of the abolitionist movement. What could be its’ possible implications to the beliefs, attitudes and behaviors of the slaves?
6. Can Sartre’s existentialist view of human nature justify Joseph Cinque and his fellow Mende African captives’ insurrection and killing of all but two of their Spanish captors aboard the Schooner La Amistad? Explain your answer?
7. Hegel’s concept of the relational (in contrast to the atomistic view) nature of man is illustrated in the former President John Quincy Adams’ conversation with Joseph Cinque (on the eve of the Supreme Court trial) as well as his closing speech before the Justices of the US Supreme Court. Do you agree? Expound.
8. La Amistad is the name of the schooner ship that carried the 53 Mende Africans to the United States. The English translation of the