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How Did Montesquieu Response To The Abolition Of The Slave Trade

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Address to the National Assembly in Favor of the Abolition of the Slave Trade was published on February 5, 1790 by the Society of the Friends of Blacks in their campaign to address desire for abolishing the trade of slaves. In France, criticism was placed on slave trade even prior to 1789, as French philosophers Jean-Jacques Rousseau and Montesquieu penned their thoughts speaking out against the slave trade. Their writings were emphasizing the cruel and inhumane practices throughout the slave trade bringing them to the forefront. (Oldfield 2007) Montesquieu wrote in The Spirit of the Laws (De l'Esprit des Lois 1748), “The state of slavery is in its own nature bad. It is neither useful to the master nor to the slave; not to the …show more content…

Its task was to create a constituency for abolition through the distribution of circular letters, books, and pamphlets.” The printing press assisted to serve and fuel literary propaganda, peaking further interest and petitioning, extending further the campaign for abolition. (Oldfield 2007) Colonial slavery was being looked down upon by the British and the Americans as an outdated system that was costly and inefficient. (Oldfield 2007) The abolitionists finally managed to get a bill committing Britain to ending the slave trade in 1792. (African slave trade-Ending the Atlantic African Slave trade …show more content…

(Slavery and the French Revolution 2008) In 1804, Haiti, the most valuable Caribbean island due to the sugar plantations, was then considered the first independent black republic in the world. The result of this slave revolt motivated other slaves and already free blacks to inspire religious whites the way to prevent further upheaval, and bloodshed was to come to a peaceful agreement. (Slavery and the French Revolution 2008) During 1807, British Parliament abolished the slave trade beginning to enforce other European nations to do so also. The British via the Royal Navy made their actions known based on moral grounds after the campaign against slavery led by leaders such as Wilberforce and Clarkson. The British abolition of slave trade took place at the peak of the Napoleon War’s and as a result the French did not acquiesce due to the British and their force with the Royal Navy. (African slave trade-Ending the Atlantic African Slave trade

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