The Abolitionist Campaign Flashcards
Who started the abolitionist movement in 1783?
The Quakers started the abolitionist movement.
What was the Society for the Abolition of the Slave Trade?
It was an organization formed in 1787 by religious groups opposing slavery.
What inspired many abolitionists to act?
The Zong case, where slaves were thrown overboard to save water for the crew, inspired many abolitionists.
What legal victories did Granville Sharp achieve for enslaved people?
He won cases like Jonathan Strong (1765) and James Somerset (1771), giving Africans legal rights in Britain.
What did Thomas Clarkson contribute to the abolitionist campaign?
He interviewed sailors, collected slave-ship equipment, and spoke at public meetings to expose the trade’s cruelty.
What role did William Wilberforce play in the abolitionist movement?
He led the campaign in Parliament, introducing abolition Bills annually until succeeding in 1807.
What moral arguments did abolitionists make against the slave trade?
They argued it was immoral, caused immense suffering, and violated human rights and Biblical teachings.
How did religious groups contribute to the abolitionist cause?
The Quakers, the Catholic Church, and the Pope condemned the slave trade as against God’s will and the 10 Commandments.
What economic arguments were used against the slave trade?
Adam Smith argued free labor was cheaper, and the trade hindered British industrial development.
What role did Olaudah Equiano play in the abolitionist campaign?
He published a bestselling autobiography about his life as a slave, which became a crucial abolitionist text.
How did John Newton contribute to the abolitionist cause?
As a former slave ship captain, he spoke publicly and wrote about the evils of the trade.
What role did Josiah Wedgewood’s cameo play in the movement?
His cameo of an African pleading for freedom became a popular symbol of the abolitionist cause.
What methods did abolitionists use to gain public support?
They held public meetings, wrote pamphlets, published books, and encouraged boycotts of sugar produced by slaves.
What actions did the Society for Abolition take to support their cause?
They organized witnesses to give evidence to Parliament and sent petitions signed by the public.
When was the slave trade abolished in Britain?
The slave trade was abolished in 1807.
