Abolition of the slave trade Flashcards
Who was Thomas Clarkson and waht was his role in aoltion
He collected inforation about the horror of the slave trade, also collecrted objects which displayed the skill and talent of african craftspeople.
Clarkson interviews 20,000 sailors for over 2 years on horseback going across the coutyr
Who was Olaudah Equiano and what was his role in abolition
An former slave, he was able to buy his freedom for ma Quaker by the name Robert king. Taught himself to read and write and published a book about his life as a slave and the experiences of it.
this became a best seller and he travelled extensively across the British isles selling and reading his book.
Who was Granville Sharp and what was his role in abolition
sharp was one of 12 men who formed the society for effecting the abolition of slave trade and was the first chairman of the society.
James Somerset case. escaped, captured in Britain, about to go back and Sharp used his legal knowledge to say that the master had not right to force someone back into slavery.
Also involved in the Zong Ship case.
who was Ignatius Sanchos and what was his role in abolition
another ex slave, mother died on slave ship and father killed himself to avoid being enslaved.
taught himself to read and write and published poems stage plays and composed music.
in 1780 when he died his letters were published and 1200 subscribers
Who was James Ramsey and what was his role in abolition
doctor in the navy and treated dysentery cases on board slave ships in 1759.
Anglican minister
Ramsey met Wilberforce and Clarkson and encouraged efforts to obtain first-hand evidence of the trade.
Who is William Wilberforce and what was his role in abolition
Born in Hull into a wealthy family, well educated and became the MP of Hull.
Met a wealthy female abolitionist (lady Middleton) asked him to use his power as an MP to the support abolition in Parliament
1781 was defeated by 163 to 88 votes
1805 argued successfully that it was unalwful for any British subject to ransport slaves but the measure was blocked by the hosue of lords.
Who are the Quakers and what was their role in abolition
Quakers had been questioning the morality of slavery since 1650s.
The Quakers were a vital catalyst. in 1783 from the Quaker’s London Headquarters, a petition against the slave trade 273 people and presented to the government.
The key to Quakers success is getting its message heard was its nation wide organisation of same groups of Quakers pre-disposed to the anti-slavery movement.
Anthony Benezet was a Quaker Teacher, and taught evening classes for black children
What is Unitarians / Unitarianism
this is an open minded approach to religion that gives scope for a veryh wide range of beliefs and doubts. a Key aspect is the belief in one god rather than the trinity.
William Roscoe - Liverpool MP
Who are the Evangelicals and how did they impact abolition
Evangelists believe in spreading the Christian gospel by public preaching. their belief in the strength of repentance as a means of salvation put them at odds with the practice of slavery which they saw as sinful.
Thomas Clarkson was a prominent campaigner against slavery, founding member of the society for effecting the abolition for the slave trade an evangelical Christian.
Who are the Methodists and how did the effect abolition
Methodism is known as non-conformist because it does not conform to the rules of the established Church of England.
Methodist congregations joined the abolitionist ranks, and via meetings held by these religious groups, the abolitionist message reached people normally excluded from conventional political activity.
Who was Josiah Wedgwood
Josiah was a successful pottery man producing the iconic design of a African man on one knee stating ‘am i not a man and a brother’
this was a staple of the abolitionist movement
Josiah Wedgwood was a Dissenter, a member of the Unitarian sect. Unitarians believe strongly in freedom, humanism, tolerance and rationalism – principles that clearly guided Josiah through his family, factory and public life.
1787 became a member of the society for the abolition of the slave trade.
humanitarian campaigns contributed to abolition
Sugar boycott, women participated in the campaign like consumers using the purchasing power to reject the trade in goods which weren’t ethically produced
by 1791 thousands of pamphlets were produced to encourage people to boycott sugar. 300,000 and 400,000 people mainly women refused to buy sugar.
Hannah More’s role in abolition
1745 and 1833, Hannah more was an educator, writer and social reformer. known for writings on abolition for eoncraging women to join the eanti-slavery movement
member of the ‘Bluestocings in 1787. met members of the ‘clapham sect’ (group of evangelicals christans who live close to Clapham, wealthy aswell)
her and Wilberfoce became friends
1788 she wrote ‘slavery, a poem’
white women
what was Mary Birkett card’s role in abolition
a Dublin Quaker published a Poem on the African slave trade. it urges women to boycott slave produced goods (sugar and Rum)
in 1791 over 300,000 people joined a boycott of sugar which had grown on planation’s that used the labour of enslaved people.
Phyllis Wheatly, role in abolition
first published African American poet, male abolitionists like Cugoano and Equiano were not the only black people in Britain to publish books.
first black women in Britain to have books published.
she regularly spoke out against slavery at public meetings
Ann Yearsley role in abolition
she and many women from many walks of life published anti-slavery poems and stories. these were aimed at the wide readership
ann yearsly known as @lactilla@ or @the poetical Milkwoman of Bristol@ was one for a small number of successful eighteenth-century working class writers.
Amelia Opie role in abolition
Poem “the Negro boys tale: a poem addressed to children” 1802
her writings opie a well known novelist and poet successfully wrote on humanitarian issues in a populist style.
‘i believe simple moral tales that very best mode of instructing the young and poor’.
overall reasons for why women contributed to abolition
Abolition Society; as the historian Clare Midgley reveals, 10% of the 1787-8 subscribers were women.
1788, the Abolition Society had 206 female subscribers
what percentage of slaves worked on plantations
90% would work on plantaions, 10% exempt
they were subjected to, or threatened with, flogging and mutilation for a wide and constantly increasing variety of offences. Slave women were abused by white men, and all - men, women and children - were more or less abandoned to under-nourishment and disease
what was the death rate across the middle passage
12% of all Africans transported on British ships between 1707-1807
resistance on board slave ships
captain Japhet Bird, 100 enslaved people jumped overboard, most were recoverd but 3 refued t osave tehmselves choosing death rather than enslavement
over 50major mutnies occured on slave ships across the middle passage between 1699 and 1865
10% of slave ships experience inssureaction
slave resistance in teh Caribbean
In 1649, on the island of Barbados, the Africans planned to free themselves and establish an independent African territory by killing the white population of the island. The plot failed and the ringleaders were executed.
Barbados (1675) - 6 rebels were burned alive and 11 beheaded
St John (1733)
Antigua (1735-36) - 77 were burned alive and 6 starved to death
Jamaica (1760) – 400 executed, 2 hung in iron cages to starve to death, 2 burned alive
Haiti (1791) - Tusan Lousiboture.
Grenada (1795-96) – 30 executed
St Lucia (1796-97)
what was the Hatian revolution
Occured in the french colony of st Domingue present day Hati,
Led by Tusan Loisboture
