The Anti Slavery Movement Flashcards
Why had the slave trade been endorsed by Britain for so long without any moral objection?
It had made trading ports very wealthy and the wealth of many British families was based on their ownership of plantations and was therefore dependent on slavery
Where were slaves put to work?
On sugar,cotton and tobacco plantations in the British West Indies
What had it become easier and more acceptable for people to do at the turn of the 19th century?
Voice concerns and criticise the government provided this was done in a peaceful way
What did the anti slavery movement do?
Put pressure on government to end the slave trade. Published pamphlets to shock the increasingly literate middle class by showing them the inhuman conditions suffered by slaves. By doing this, the movement raised public consciousness
Who was the leading anti-slavery campaigner?
William Wilberforce, a radical MP and close friend of William Pitt
Describe Wilberforce’s Clapham Sect
A group whose primary aim was to save souls through political action. However, they did still uphold class distinctions between rich and poor. Wanted to promote righteousness and promote the idea of a society that improved the standards of morality. Encouraged regular reading of the Bible. Published literature aimed at the middle classes
Who did the Clapham Sect have special concern for?
Groups who could not help themselves, like abused children and slaves
List the political heavyweights of this time that supported the anti-slavery movement
Pitt, Fox, Grey, Grenville and Canning
Why did Pitt withdraw support for the abolition of the slave trade after becoming PM?
Due to internal opposition within parliament in the 1780s
How did the anti slavery movement secure a major victory in 1807?
The Abolition of Slavery Act passed through parliament with very little fuss. It formerly ended the slave trade, but did nothing to help those already enslaved by Britain in the colonies
Why did the end of the Napoleonic Wars cause the issue of slavery to come to the fore again?
Because if Britain were to hand some of their African spoils of war back to their original owners, anti slavery lobbyists wanted reassurances that this would not lead to the redevelopment of the slave trade, pressuring Liverpool’s government by bombarding it with petitions
How did the government responds to pressure from the anti slavery lobby in 1815?
British naval squadrons patrolled the West African coastline. Whether this was effective or not became a more minor issue, as the discussions stimulated a renewed interest in tackling the continued use of slaves in British territories
What did Wilberforce and a younger radical MP, Buxton, do in 1823?
Formed the anti-slavery society, which coordinated the wider campaign to outlaw slavery throughout British territories
Why did Canning fail to support Buxton’s demand that the children of slaves should be born free?
He feared too much opposition from MPs with interests in the West Indies
How did slave owners argue that they should be able to keep their current slaves?
- They claimed that they would be overwhelmed by competition from rival slave owners from the Southern states of the USA
- Said that the slaves were so institutionalised they would be unlikely to be able to deal with freedom
