William Wilberforce's Slave Trade

William Wilberforce, a member of British Parliament, led a battle against Parliament to put and end to the slave trade, a brutal and inhumane business. It was not an easy feat to accomplish, lasting close to 20 years and there were many obstacles faced throughout the period. With persistence and perseverance, he and others that he worked with, were able to outlaw the slave trade of Britain. Not only did he affect his time period, but had a lasting affect on other societies, starting a movement of abolishing slavery.

Slavery has been a long debated topic for hundreds of years. In Britain, slave trade was a huge ordeal during the 1700’s. Many people hated the idea of abolishing slave trade, and thought there was nothing wrong with it. One of the early movers was William Wilberforce.

The slave trade industry had a huge historical impact on our lives. So much so, that we've completely changed our whole dynamic about it. Although it's not so common anymore, there still lies some unanswered questions, like what were the economical advances for owning a slave back then? What did the slave owners gain from this, and why was Africa the only country targeted? How could they have handled the slave trade business either better or different?

The Atlantic Slave Trade was a system of slavery that took place between the 16th and 19th centuries. It comprised of capturing African tribesmen and women from areas of Western and Central Africa and placing them into the colonies of the New World in North, Central, and South America. Many countries like England, Portugal, Spain, Holland, and France, had participated in enslaving the African peoples. The African slaves were used to exploit an array of commodities such coffee, cotton, rum, sugar, and tobacco, and eventually they had become commodities themselves. Often times the slaves were treated awfully by their owners. Most were forced to work long and tiresome hours on plantations to acquire said commodities, and then use them to create products that would be later sold. The slaves did not receive any profits from the sale of the products that they produced, but they were paid with basic needs such as shelter and food. The revenue that was produced by slave labour was highly profitable, but in turn it was counter acted by the cost of keeping the slave labourers alive and well. By the end of the 18th century a period known as the Industrial Revolution had swept Europe, especially England, and her colonial partners. Never before had production been so cheap and efficient. Many believe that the enslavement of Africans was necessary to initiate the industrial revolution. They believe that the slaves provided the foundation to the development of the revolution, and without

The two majors drivers that led to the transatlantic slave trade was the European desire for the agricultural products of the Americas and the need for laborers to work the land in the Americas. All participants, besides for the slaves, benefited from the trading.

Everyone has their own understanding of what slavery is, but there are misconceptions about the history of “slavery”. Not many people understand how the slave trade initially began. Originally Africa had “slaves” but they were servants or serfs, sometimes these people could be part of the master’s family. They could own land, rise to positions of power, and even purchase their freedom. This changed when white captains came to Africa and offered weapons, rum, and manufactured goods for people. African kings and merchants gave away the criminals, debtors, and prisoner from rival tribes. The demand for cheap labor was increasing, this resulted in the forced migration of over ten million slaves. The Atlantic Slave Trade occurred from 1500 to 1880 CE. This large-scale event changed the economy and histories of many places. The Atlantic Slave Trade held a great amount of significance in the development of America. Africans shaped America by building a solid foundation for the country.

The Atlantic Slave Trade was a very important time in history. When the records of the Atlantic slave Trade are reflected upon ,the impacts of the shipboards revolts are often times overseen .Although these revolts did have an immense effect on the political, views of the Slave trade. Richardson’s “shipboard revolts,African Authority,and the Atlantic slave trade”. brings into view the fluctuating causes and effects of shore based, and shipboard insurrection . Because of Richardson occupation it grants him reliability to all of his claims and supports his opinions His profession of studying economics and international ,offers him a profusion amount of education in the countries which were involved in the Atlantic Slave Trade. Richardson expose the indispensable impacts of shipboard revolts , African Leadership on the Atlantic slave trade, the author accomplishes this by painting out the causes an effects of each specific revolt an also by exposing the progress.

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.

The transatlantic slave trade first began in 1502, with records of the first slaves in the New World, lasting nearly four centuries. It connected the economies of three continents. The route began in West Europe, where it continued to Africa, trading manufactured goods such as rum, textiles, weapons, and gunpowder for slaves. From Africa, the ship went along the Atlantic to America, distributing slaves, and bringing agricultural products such as coffee, cotton, rice, and sugar back to Europe. The entire route typically lasted eighteen months. The slave trade ended in 1867, seventeen years after Britain began arresting slave ships.

For slaves the transition to the New World was at times isolating and difficult. There were rotten, terrifying, and sometimes inhumane experiences that the slaves’ experienced as they transitioned to the New World. Slaves dealt with loneliness when their families were separated because they were sold or because of situations where the owners were controlling their lives.

William Wilberforce is remembered as a hero for the abolition of slavery in the british

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.

During 1619 was the first time North America would see slaves (history.com). At the time it was unknown as to how long slaves would be kept in bondage and to labor the goods of the whites. Many slaves had been kidnapped, traded, and sold. The South was pro-slave and the reason black slaves would end up freed (Goldfield 2007). Abolitionism began during the early 1830’s when Christians realized that slavery was opposite of their belief and a sin (http://americanabolitionist.liberalarts.iupui.edu). This lead to the “Abolition Movement,” that would eventually help to free some of the slaves. Post Civil War slavery during the 17th through 19th centuries, in Southern United States, the growth of slavery, the system, free slavery, and abolitionism.

He spoke out against the slave trade with great conviction. His advice was sought by young William Wilberforce, the leader of the Parliamentary movement to abolish the African slave trade. Wilberforce had previously considered leaving politics, but Newton persuaded him that God had placed him there for a reason. In 1788, Newton published a pamphlet called “Thoughts Upon the Slave Trade,” to support Wilberforce’s campaign. The tract describes the horrific conditions of the slave ships and the terrible journey from Africa to America, the Middle Passage. Wilberforce’s long, hard battle with Parliament paid off when the Slave Trade Act was passed in 1807, banning slave trade in the British Empire, thanks to the support of many followers, including

In the 1600’s, Slavery played a significant role in European history. The negative aspects that made up the dark times in history are, mainly centered on the brutalizing effects of the enslaved people, which can be best explained by the destroyed family bonds, history of the enslaved people erased, and unjust treatment of the slaves.