William Wilberforce and the Abolition of the British Slave Trade

Today, many American’s are very prideful of being part of a Country that not only portrays, but also truly offer an abundance of opportunities for education, careers, housing, for many immigrants’ jobs, and most importantly Freedom. Currently the American motto is that there are no impossibilities, work hard to achieve highest potential and failure is not a negative innuendo, but a mark of the imprints of success. Nevertheless, as one researches and studies American history the stroll down memory lane is sad and disappointing. Use The Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade Database website (http://www.slavevoyages.org/voyage/search)1 take a stroll into the past during 1607-1808 the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade slaves took the place of what we call today America’s industry workforce. Unfortunately, during the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade the slaves did not have a choice, mistreated and stripped of their rights and dignity, dehumanized, and all for the purpose of commercialism competitiveness and industrial prosperity. As shown on the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade Database, during 1607-1808, the total number of slaves embarked on voyages to the Mainland North America was 360,999; however, these slaves experienced the highest form of cruelty and uncaring treatment

The origins and development of slavery in Britain’s North American colonies during the colonial period can be traced down to the fact that North American colonies were created for the economic profit of Great Britain. Reasons for the development of slavery in the North American colonies can be the switch to slavery from indentured servitude due to the desire of free labor and the results of Bacon’s rebellion, the introduction of cash crops such as sugar and tobacco and the introduction of the plantation system, and the easy access of slaves due to the triangular trade and the middle passage.

The framers probably could not do anything about slavery at that time. Because slavery was so big in the South maybe they would not have accepted anything apart from the compromise made in the Constitution. If the framers banned the slave trade, the South would start to lose money and eventually start their own nation and this could possibly lead to a

Frederick Douglass Accomplishments: Frederick Douglass was a very accomplished person. He was known to fight against slavery in the South. He escaped when he was 16, and ever since then he decided to speak out against slavery. Many African Americans, then and now think of him as a hero, but what did he do to become a hero? Why was it important then, and what are its effects now?

Although the abolitionist movement started around 1770, it wasn’t until 1807 that the “evils of the trade were generally accepted” (AbolotionProject) The Abolition of the Slave Trade Act was passed. It was passed 100 votes to 34 votes This act abolished the trade in British Colonies. This was a major milestone in the movement. However, once this act was passed, many abolitionist lost interest in the movement. They thought that this was going to be the end of slavery, but it was not. Now the abolitionist had a new fight, slavery

These equally passionate justifications explain why it was so difficult for the House report to finally be read publicly. Southern delegates forced an eight-day delay, during which time they offered every pro-slavery argument they could, from economic to moral to reactionary. They insisted that Northern delegates had no right to dictate behavior to the South. Arguments grew so heated that some states threatened to secede. Benjamin Franklin finally appeared to insist that the House abolish slavery. Franklin's now-direct involvement shamed the Southern delegates and enlivened the Northern delegates, but it would prove to be his final protest. He died three weeks later, without having forced a strong

Frederick was put to work as a field hand and was extremely unhappy. Frederick then organized a Sunday religious service for the slaves which met near town. As quick as they started they were stopped, a mob led by Thomas Auld broke up the meetings and would not soon forget about them.

“We are all guilty-we ought all to plead guilty, and not to exculpate ourselves by throwing the blame on others; and I therefore deprecate every kind of reflection against the various descriptions of people who are more immediately involved in this wretched business,” stated William Wilberforce in his, “Abolition Speech.” William Wilberforce was an English politician and he campaigned for the conclusion of slavery. One of the main aspects of slavery that he focused on was the transportation of slaves in awful conditions. Wilberforce delivered this speech at the House of Commons May 12, 1789. The purpose of this speech was to change the audience's beliefs on the slave reform.

William Wilberforce was the creator of multiple speeches during the late 1700s. These speeches usually contained information about abolition and slave trade. One of these speeches were given in May 12, 1789. This was given to the British Parliament to hopefully persuade them to abolish slavery. In 1787 however, Thomas Clarkson called for William to rewrite and present his essay on the abolishing of slavery. William lived from 1759 to 1833. During his younger years he lived with his rich merchant family. He was a very religious person who was really good at speaking and politics. This allowed him to later join parliament and speak to them about the slavery which he believed was unethical. He overall helped stop slavery. However, many people did not agree with his thoughts and ideas.

After the industrial revolutionary, slave labor was outlawed in many of the northern American states because, slavery

The slave trade was very important to the British economy. Without the slave trade, the triangular trade would not have taken place. This is because there would have been no reason to trade slaves from Africa for goods in the West Indies and the USA. Because there were so many slaves being traded, there was plenty of sugar being exported from the sugar plantations to Britain (3,750 tons in 1951 to 9,525 tons in 1669) due to the increase in labour. This trade of sugar had a big impact on the British economy. Because of the large quantities of sugar being produced by African slaves, sugar was able to become a staple food in Britain. “The poorest English farm labourer’s wife took sugar in her tea” which suggests that even the poorest of

By the time that the slave trade had been abolished in Britain and her colonies in 1807 eleven million men, women and children had been snatched from their homes. For historians understanding the factors that led to the abolition of the trade remains an important task. Whilst there is clearly a consensus on the main factors that led to this seismic and historic event there is obviously a difference in opinion on the most important due to the degree of subjectivity the question poses.

At this point, he is debating whether he should go into the ministry and abandon a political career altogether. His friend William Pitt tries to convince him not to, and tells Wilberforce of his magnificent plan to become prime minister and that he wants Wilberforce there with him. Pitt, still trying to convince Wilberforce to stay in Parliament brings a group of people over to Wilberforce’s house for dinner. While eating, one of the men places a set of chains on the table and begins to explain how slaves are transported in ships. A former slave, Oloudah Equiano, explains the process and shows Wilberforce the branding mark on his chest he got when he was sold. They tell Wilberforce that they need someone to help them to oppose the trade.

Labor exploitation was the key for the effectiveness of european expansion in the new world and define slavery as a principal component for global capitalism until it was not longer profitable. The atlantic slave trade influence europe economic growth and market development to rapidly spread through the atlantic trade. It was a intense dependence on the triangular trade that made merchants made big profits at the expense of the exploited labour abroad. Merchants were involved in all three sides of the triangle trade that allowed the transportation of slaves from Europe to Africa where goods were traded for slaves and then those slaves were brought to the Americas for the cultivation food crops and other raw materials; these later were brought back to Europe, Africa and the Americas to be sold. Resistance and revolts against the trade of slave was stronger in African areas where european demographic power was lower but “It was not until 1780s that increasing european along the west of africa coast finally drove up the price of slaves” and the overproduction of sugar in the caribbean and other raw materials lead the fall in the selling price of these products (shillington p181) european nations began to question whether the trade was still profitable or not. Britain was the first to completely abolished slavery in 1834 when manufactures found european labor in factories more efficient and less expensive than plantations. It was follow for the french colonies 1848, Cuba in

The slave trade was the largest contributor to the British economy during the 18th century. Tomas Butler stated “The profits from the slave trade were part of the bedrock of our country's industrial development. Many people and institutions in every part of the country were complicit in the trans-Atlantic slave trade.” In the early Americas, Britain supplied a vast majority of the slaves to the new world to be sold to the highest bidder. During the slave trade British ships made over ten thousand voyages and enslaved approximately 3.4 billion Africans. Some of these ships would make a profit of twenty to fifty percent. Back in England the king and the ship owners were not the only people benefiting from the slave trade. Everyone from the factory owners to the factory workers were benefited as an effect of the slave trade. The upper-class citizens were definitely making the big dollars. These people included the owners of the slave ships, the factory owners, who were able to produce and sell the products that the Africans and Americans needed and wanted, bankers who made money from the interest they earned on loans from people who borrowed money for the long voyage, and