Abolition of Slavery

Question 1

Describe the first commission to abolish slavery

Answer 1

• 1783
• Quakers
• petition with 300 signatures on it presented to Parliament

Question 2

Describe Thomas Pellow

Answer 2

• July 1738- London < Gibraltar
• been away from Cornwall for 22 years
• captured by Barbary Pirates
• slave in Morocco

Question 3

Describe Barbary Pirates

Answer 3

• operated in Mediterranean Sea and off south coast of Britain

Question 4

Describe those captured by pirates

Answer 4

• between 1600 and 1780- 850,000 white people were taken as slaves to North Africa
• between 1609 and 1616- 466 British ships captured
• 1631- entire population of Baltimore, Ireland

Question 5

Describe how countries relied upon the slave trade

Answer 5

• plantation economy of New World
• Britain’s wealth
• African slaves in West Indies and USA produced sugar, cotton and tobacco for export

Question 6

How did the Society for Effecting the Abolition of Slave Trade become popular?

Answer 6

• brought to the fore by American Revolution
• completely dominated conversation
• one issue

Question 7

Describe the difficulties faced by abolitionists

Answer 7

• West Indian Lobby- 50MPs

* Napoleonic Wars meant it was harder to oppose the government

Question 8

Describe the Zong cause of the first commission to abolition slavery

Answer 8

• the captain of the Zong
• threw 130 slaves overboard
• to collect insurance
• acquitted of murder because the slaves were property

Question 9

Describe the Somersett v Stuart cause of the first commission for the abolition of slavery

Answer 9

• slave brought to Britain was deemed to be free

* in the news

Question 10

Describe the 1787 Quaker Meeting

Answer 10

• 12 men
• London
• discussed the issue of slavery
• included Thomas Clarkson and Granville Sharp
• set up a committee (Society for the Abolition is Slave Trade) to find out about trade and educate the public to demand change
• persuaded William Wilberforce to introduce a motion to the House of Commons

Question 11

Describe petitions for the abolition of the slave trace

Answer 11

• 1787- Manchester- 10,000 names (20% of adult population)

* 1788- 103 separate petitions

Question 12

Describe parliament’s response to the petitions for the abolition of slavery

Answer 12

• 1788- held an inquiry before the Commission on Trade and Plantations
• produced a massive report, lots of publicity

Question 13

Describe Thomas Clarkson

Answer 13

• undergrad at Cambridge
• wrote prize-winning essay in Latin on the subject of slavery
• key organisers of the first commission
• travelled thousands of miles by horseback collecting evidence, interviewing witnesses, going aboard slave ships
• collected a cheat of artefacts and evidence
• formed anti-slavery societies
• befriended anyone who could help the cause

Question 14

Describe the methods of abolitionists

Answer 14

• set up committees
• collected evidence
• published circulars and letters
• paid for newspaper articles and adverts
• carefully selected team of lecturers paid to tour the country
• published books, poems and theatre
• worked with 5,000 free blacks
• 300,000 boycotted shops that sold West Indian sugar
• 1792, 1796, 1797, 1804, 1805- resolutions in Parliament

Question 15

Describe Josiah Wedgewood

Answer 15

• famous potter

* produced medallions, crockery and memorabilia

Question 16

Describe Olaudah Equiano

Answer 16

• 1789
• The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa, the African
• still in print

Question 17

Describe incidents that worked in the abolitionists’ favour

Answer 17

• wars with France- Bill passed to prevent British ships, manufacturers and subjects to take part in the slave trade to French ports and colonies

Question 18

Describe how abolition was eventually achieved

Answer 18

• 1807- abolitionist Bill gained majority in both houses and became law
• 1833- abolished throughout British empire