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AST - The Abolition of the Slave Trade (Individuals and Groups (Sons of…
AST - The Abolition of the Slave Trade
The Case of the Zong
Events
Ship left West Africa towards Jamaica with 442 slaves
Captain Collingwood was ill
The Zong sailed off course, so they'd be late to Jamaica
Crew became worried that the drinking water would run out
Collingwood told crew that if the slaves were thrown alive overboard to save the crew it would be a loss to the insurers
132 sick slaves were thrown overboard
Collingwood died after arriving in Jamaica and 200 slaves sold
Court Case
When the Zong returned they demanded the insurers pay for the slaves who had died
Insurers refused to pay as ships log had disappeared and that there was no actual shortage of water
Insurers lost the court case as black people seen by jury and lawyers to be goods and property
"Same as if horses had been thrown overboard"
Can didn't change the law but became a big publicity stunt that changed public opinion of the trade in newspapers
Attracted more support and created a growing group of people who wanted to stop slavery
Individuals and Groups
Sons of Africa
Group of Africans who managed to escape slavery
Wrote and spoke about their experiences
Olaudah Equiano toured country to promote his autobiography
Thousands read and knew about
Ottabah Cugoano argued that slavery was morally wrong and that every white man in Britain was responsible
William Wilberforce
An MP who made speeches and introduced Bills against the slave trade for 20 years
Could change government policy to make trade illegal
Josiah Wedgewood
A Quaker and wealthy pottery owner who supported the movement
Designed unofficial emblem of movement "Am I Not a Man and a Brother"
Distributed abolitionist material
Thomas Clarkson
Travelled around Britain and West Africa collecting evidence from the trade
Gave Wilberforce his ammunition to abolish the trade
He would show shackles, whips and thumbscrews to his audiences
Would show off trade goods made by Africans to show that there was other things Africa could offer
John Newman
A slave ship captain turned abolitionist and church minister
Wrote hymns including 'Amazing Grace'
Personal experience of what happened on the ships
Church of England
Slavery was not wrong at first
Individuals inside disliked it
Only until 2006 that they did apologise for their involvement
Quakers
Openly condemned slavery
Everyone seen as equal, as friends
Campaign to end slave trade
Society for the Abolition of the Slave Trade
Mr Grenville Sharp pushes the Zong case, tries to change the law
Provide Wilberforce with evidence to use in Parliament
Women
The Sugar Boycott, cut demand for slave produced sugar
In those days buying and preparing food was seen as a women job, so not buying slave products impacted wealth of the plantations
Campaign Tactics
Propaganda
Images, Artifacts, Fashion
Josiah Wedgwood (Emblem), Thomas Clarkson (Shackles, Torturing Devices)
Petitions
Shows amount of people who believe in a cause
Sent to Parliament to get them to change law
Society for the Abolition
Bills
Change/Create laws
Wilberforce brings slavery issue every year into Parliament
Speeches
Gain public awareness and change their mind on subject
Sons of Africa, Thomas Clarkson
Lobbying
With MPs to change their opinion
Songs and Poetry
Publicity
Sugar Boycott
Just stop buying slave products
The Success
Wilberforce
Tried to persuade MPs to accept the need to end the trade in Parliament
Lasted for over 20 years, put forth a bill every year
Slave Rebellion
Were common
Rumours of Haiti encouraged other slaves to rise up and be more violent
A rise in plantation owners fearful about hostility and stubbornness from their slaves had increased
Economic Arguments
Simply not as profitable as before
Production in West Indies never an easy business
Natural disasters affected production
Sugar production elsewhere (India) cheaper and with no slaves
Industrial Revolution offered less risky ways of making profit
Public Opinion
Were shown frightening evidence of the trade
Equiano shared his personal experience
Speeches, books, leaflets handed out to change opinions
Made MPs feel as though they might lose seats because the public view had changed
Lord Granville was PM from 1806, he listened to public opinion and was favourable to change
The Slave Trade was ended by an Act Of Parliament passed in 1807
Opposition
The Pro Slavery Campaign
To counter the Abolitionist campaign, books, articles and speeches were given in defence of slavery
A full propaganda campaign of posters was launched showing slavery to be a good thing
Arguments used in the Campaign
The citizens benefit from the slave trade
If no slaves there would be no sugar
Gave the Africans purpose, benefits and civilisation
The slaves would benefit, civilians would lose
The wealth of the country would decrease immensely
Arguments used in Parliament
The slaves are treated very well, fed, music, dancing, games, tobacco
Gradual abolition, take as long as they want
Better to supply ourselves with slaves in British ships rather than buy them from French, Dutch or Danish traders
Arguments used in the Slave Ports
Trades would be destroyed like; ship building, ship repairing, rope making, sail making, iron forging and sugar refineries
Jobs would be lost
It would do serious harm to the cities, Bristol would lose 60% of it's trade
Haiti Slave Revolt Argument
The French revolution, made it so people were fearful of a rapid, big change
If don't keep tight control of slaves, the British ones might start a revolt