slave 101

Question 1

When did the slave trade in the British colonies end?

Answer 1

The slave trade in the British colonies ended in 1807.

Question 2

What does the term creole mean?

Answer 2

The term creole signifies a slave who was born in a colony.

Question 3

Why did the slave registration fail? 1:

Answer 3

The planters were angry at the proposals and argued that the colonies had legislatures with rights of internal self-government and the new laws were an unconstitutional interference. They argued that people in Britain miles away, were not sufficiently knowledgeable about colonial affairs to make suggestions of this kind.

Question 4

Why did the slave registration fail? 2:

Answer 4

The inefficiency in implementing the system.

Question 5

Why did the slave registration fail? 3:

Answer 5

It did not take into consideration the movement of slaves from one part of the colony to another.

Question 6

What years did the British Amelioration’s movement begin and end?

Answer 6

The British Amelioration began in 1823 and ended in 1830(1823-1830)

Question 7

What did the Amelioration form?

Answer 7

They formed the Society for the Mitigation and Gradual Abolition
of Slavery.

Question 8

Why were the abolition and society formed?

Answer 8

The abolition and the society were formed since the slaves continued overworking themselves.

Question 9

What were the British Legislative assemblies asked?

Answer 9

The Legislative Assemblies in the British colonies were asked to review their slave laws or codes and make them less harsh.

Question 10

What was the aim of amelioration?

Answer 10

The aim of amelioration was to agitate for an immediate improvement of the working and living conditions of the enslaved in the colonies utilizing a gradual approach.

Question 11

What did the Amelioration’s proposals suggest?

Answer 11

The Amelioration Proposals suggested that: -
Women were not to be flogged or beaten.
- All punishments had to be recorded.
- No division of enslaved families.
- The provision of religious instructions for the enslaved.
- The enslaved should not be sold as a payment of debt.
-Whips were not to be used in the field.
- Freedom had to be granted to those enslaved who could pay the manumission fees.
- Hours of work per day to be reduced.
- The enslaved should be allowed to give evidence in court if a religious instructor would testify to their suitability.
-Protectors of the enslaved were to be appointed.
-Sunday market to be abolished and another free day given.
- Enslaved marriages to be encouraged.

Question 12

In 1823, who made a determined effort to spread Amelioration in the British West Indies?

Answer 12

Lord Bathurst, Secretary of State for the colonies made a determined effort to put amelioration into effect throughout the British West Indies.

Question 13

Where was the plan of Amelioration sent?

Answer 13

The plan for amelioration was embodied in a dispatch which was sent to the Crown colonies of Trinidad, St. Lucia and British Guiana for adoption.

Question 14

Why did Amelioration fail? 1:

Answer 14

The planter controlled assemblies in Jamaica, Barbados, St. Vincent and Dominica protested the proposals because they saw amelioration as a threat to their property rights since the enslaved were their property under the law and only the planters could determine how they were treated.

Question 15

Why did Amelioration fail 2:

Answer 15

The planters claimed that their Legislative Assemblies, just like the House of Commons in Britain, had the sovereign right to legislate their own affairs including making laws for the enslaved. They believed that Britain asking them to adopt certain legislative measures was unconstitutional of their constitutional rights.

Question 16

Why did Amelioration fail 3: A:

Answer 16

They would not accept a slave giving evidence in a court of law since this would undermine the planters’ authority and encourage complaints against them.

Question 17

Why did Amelioration fail 3: B:

Answer 17

Religious instructions would not only reduce the working hours for the enslaved but it could lead to the enslaved learning about equality which may lead to revolts. Religious instruction would encourage the enslaved to gather in large numbers and this would give them an opportunity to plan revolts.

Question 18

Why did Amelioration fail 3: C:

Answer 18

The reduction of corporal punishment would reduce production levels and encourage revolts.

Question 19

(Extra) In the Crown colonies of Trinidad, Guyana and St. Lucia:

Answer 19

the amelioration proposals were enforced immediately because of greater intervention by the British government (through the Colonial Office) in introducing laws. Only Tobago, St. Vincent and St. Kitts
did anything to improve or better the conditions of the slaves.

Question 20

When was the Slave society formed?

Answer 20

The Slave society was formed in 1830 since it was clear to the Abolitionists that the British Amelioration was a failure.

Question 21

When did the movement towards emancipation begin and end?

Answer 21

The movement towards emancipation lasted from 1807-1833.

Question 22

What did the invention of new machinery in Britain cause?

Answer 22

The invention of new machinery in Britain caused an increased production of goods.

Question 23

What were some of the goods manufactured?

Answer 23

Cheaper clothes, iron, chinaware and other household items were
produced.

Question 24

What was there also and improvement in?

Answer 24

There was an improvement in transport (roads, canals, railways and
steamships).

Question 25

What did greater production and improved transport cause?

Answer 25

Greater production and improved transportation caused the increase of Britain’s overseas trade and the West Indies alone could not satisfy British trade.

Question 26

Who demanded an end to mercantilism?

Answer 26

The slaves within the colonies demanded an end since they had no wages and their trade could not keep up with Britain’s trade.

Question 27

BRITAIN’S SEARCH FOR NEW MARKETS-

Answer 27

Britain developed new trading links, spreading her empire eastward to Asia: India, Burma and Malaya. British businessmen began to invest in the new Spanish-American nations and Brazil.

Question 28

What did the United States welcome?

Answer 28

The United States welcomed free trade.

Question 29

Where did the British buy: cotton, wheat and timber from?

Answer 29

They bought cotton from Egypt, India and the U.S.A, timber from Africa and wheat from Russia.

Question 30

Where did they sell their iron and cotton goods?

Answer 30

They also sold their iron goods to France and Germany and
their cotton clothing to Asia.

Question 31

What declined in the British West Indies?

Answer 31

The economic importance of the British West Indies declined and this made it easier for the abolitionists to call for the immediate emancipation of the enslaved or end slavery.

Question 32

When did the depression of the British West Indies agricultural system begin?

Answer 32

The early 19th century was a period of depression in British West Indian agriculture.

Question 33

Who were making heavy losses due to this?

Answer 33

Sugar planters in the islands were making heavy losses.
They were selling less sugar while the costs of running their estates were rising.

Question 34

What were factors responsible for this decline? 1:

Answer 34

Rising costs of production.
(a) Labour costs- In 1783 a slave cost 200% more than in 1683. In 1807 the slave trade for the British West Indies ended which accelerated labour shortages.
(b) Estate Supplies- there was inflation in the costs of estate supplies after 1783.
The former source of estate supplies ended with the independence of the 13 North American colonies in 1783. New source of supplies in Europe made them very expensive.

Question 35

What were factors responsible for this decline? 2:

Answer 35

Competition from within and outside the British Empire. Within the empire, India and Mauritius were producing large quantities of sugar. This created a glut in the British sugar market resulting in the decline in sugar prices leading to the planters’ profits also declining.

There was also competition from Brazil and Cuba (countries outside the British Empire). These countries possessed flat and fertile soils while utilizing mechanization such as steam engines, vacuum pans and centrifuges. They also sold sugar at a cheaper price on the European market than sugar produced in the British West Indies. Competition also came from beet sugar produced in Europe.

Question 36

What were factors responsible for this decline? 3:

Answer 36

3. Inefficiency- The system of sugar production and slave labour remained unchanged for over two hundred years in the British West Indies. Planters resisted mechanization such as the introduction of ploughs, steam engines and vacuum pans. The smaller territories could not economically use machinery. There was also declining soil fertility in the older sugar islands- for example Jamaica, Barbados and St. Kitts.