How important were the slaves’ own actions in the Abolition of the Slave Trade

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It seems such a simple story.

The Anti-Slavery Society was formed in 1787

The slave trade was abolished in 1807

All slaves in British colonies were freed in 1834.

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There are many possible factors or reasons contributing to the end of the Atlantic Slave Trade.

Anti-slavery media

Economic reasons

Legal Challenges

The Religious reasons

Slave Rebellions & The Revolutionary Case

Actions of key individuals

Anti- slavery media:

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One of the most famous pictures were created by Josiah Wedgwood in October 1787.

This image was replicated
and used on several statement pieces of jewellery

They used stories from former slaves to build their argument on the grounds that it was wrong to enslave fellow human beings.

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Economic Reasons

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London merchants were no longer able to make good profits from investing in Caribbean plantations.

Lancashire cotton mills or in Britain’s ‘new’ empire in India.

By the 1790s, French sugar was costing 20% less than British sugar

Adam Smith, a famous Scottish economist, argued that slave labour was not the cheapest way of farming the plantations.

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The Legal Challenges

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The Zong Case, 1781

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The Somerset Case, 1771-1772

had been brought to England and now refused to be taken back to the colonies against his will

James Somerset

The law decided that he could not be forced to return.

The treatment of this incident as an insurance case

rather than human beings, caused widespread horror and helped to get the anti-slavery campaign going.

Religious Reasons:

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Repugnant to our religion

“a system full of wickedness, hateful to God” (Derby)

“a system revolting to the feelings of mankind and inconsistent with the counsels of Heaven” (Hereford Ladies)

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Slave Rebellions:

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This had been one of the reasons for abolishing the slave trade in 1807

their slaves better if there was no regular supply of ‘new’ slaves from Africa.

20,000 people joined his revolt, causing fourteen white deaths and estimated damages of £1,000,000

Sharpe and 500 more slaves were put to death and countless others flogged.

Slavery would lead to another revolt, as in Saint Domingue”

The French Revolution began in 1789, and in 1791, the French Revolutionary Government declared all people equally

heir leader was Toussaint L’Ouverture. Eventually, in 1794

The French island of Saint Domingue was the richest colony in the world

They were easily defeated by L’Ouverture. In 1798, he became the first ruler of an independent black state in the Caribbean.

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Actions of Key Individuals

Many people campaigned over a long period of time to end slavery.

William Wilberforce

Olaudah Equiano and lawyers like Granville Sharp.

William Wiliberforce spent 20 years arguing in parliament, organising petitions and campaigning.

Olaudah Equiano wrote a book about his tie as a slave and toured Britain giving talks.

Jonathon Strong in a legal case against a cruel master.