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Reasons for the Abolition of the Slave Trade - Coggle Diagram
Reasons for the Abolition of the Slave Trade
Very Important
Political
The French
Prime Minister Pitt did not support slavery but had opposed abolition during wars. When France reintroduced slavery, the British favoured abolition to destabilise the French. When the Foreign Slave Trade abolition Bill was announced in 1806, it was presented as an anti-French measure to the house of commons, winning broader approval.
New Liberal Irish MPs
More support for abolition in the for of new liberal Irish MPs supporting it and the new Prime Minister Lord Grenville in 1807, throwing his weight behind the Slave Trade Abolition Bill in the House of Lords
Somewhat Important
Economic Factors
Oversupply of Sugar
Sugar hit by anti-slavery boycott of the 1790s
and there was an over-supply and British merchants had difficulties re-exporting it.
Plantation owners suffering losses
Some profit decline BUT slave plantations continued profitability until 1807 when it became illegal. 40% of the income from Bristol's population came from the trade in the 1780s.
Disease and Financial Threat
Losses to foreign privateers during Britain's prolonged wars, the threat of disease on tropical voyages and the impact of slave rebellions created financial uncertainty
Little Importance
Humanitarian/Public Pressure Groups
Rise of evangelical Christianity - Methodist and Quakers opposed slavery
Public Campaigns e.g. entrepreneur Wedgewood designed protest plates
Abolition campagining across the country - Eqaino, wilberforce. national petition campaign of 1788 resulted in over 500 petitions being sent to parliement
Increasing slave resistance on board ships and in the plantations