Abolition KU

Origin/growth of the abolition movement.

• The case of the Zong opened a lot of people’s eyes to the horrors of the slave trade and made them question it.

• Religious groups (eg Quakers) give support to campaign and encourage others to get involved.

• Wilberforce begins campaign in Parliament – changes MP’s minds and gains support.

• Testimonies of former slaves (eg Equiano) leads to rise in awareness of cruelty of trade.

• Speaking tours and meetings increase publicity of abolition campaign.

• Petitions help to raise awareness of campaign and gain support.

Methods used by abolitionists

• Speeches to inform people.• Public meetings to raise awareness of campaign – best

way to spread information.• Wilberforce presented bills to Parliament to try and

change the law. • Got people to sign petitions to show support for

abolition campaign.• Used imagery – Jossiah Wedgewood• Slave testimonies (Eg Equiano) to give people first

hand account of the slave trade.

Explain the reasons why it took so long to abolish the slave trade?

• Many MP’s supported the slave trade as they benefited from it, so they fought against the abolition campaign in Parliament.

• Plantation owners would lose a lot of money if the slave trade was abolished, so many bribed MP’s to fight against abolition.

• Port towns such as Liverpool and Bristol organised resistance against abolition because they would lose a lot of wealth if slave trade was abolished.

• The French Revolution and slave revolts (eg Haiti) made people afraid to free the slaves as they feared they would turn violent.

• Britain was at war with France at the time and many argued that the money gained from the slave trade was vital to fighting this war.

Explain why people supported/defended the slave trade?

• British plantation owners did not want the trade to end because they needed cheap labour.

• The slave trade was very profitable and brought huge wealth to Britain. • The government got most of its money from taxes related to the slave

trade. • Plantation owners argued that abolition would ruin them and there

would be no sugar etc. • Some believed that other countries would take over the trade and the

profits if Britain abolished it. • Some argued Africans were happier, civilized and converted to

Christianity when they were slaves. • Position of Britain as the world’s greatest naval power depended on the

slave trade.

Explain the reasons why the slave trade was abolished in 1807.

• Wilberforce had campaigned for 20 years, introducing bills to parliament and changing peoples’ opinions.

• Lord Grenville was made PM – he was an abolitionist. • Sugar was available from the East (India) that was cheaper.• The Industrial Revolution created new avenues for Britain to make

money from, so the slave trade became less important economically. • Abolitionists like Clarkson and Equiano had turned public opinion in

favour of abolition.• MPs feared they would lose their seat if they did not support abolition

as public opinion had changed, so voted for it. • News had spread of the successful slave revolt in Haiti – slaves in

Caribbean became more violent, pressuring the Government into abolition.