The slave trade

What were the methods used by abolitionists to try and end the slave trade?

- Abolitionists formed The Society for the Abolition of the Slave Trade to campaign against the slave trade - Thomas Clarkson visited ports such as Liverpool and Bristol to collect evidence and artefacts such as manacles and thumbscrews to show people the horrors of the trade - Equiano highlighted his experience of slavery - A diagram of a slave ship, the Brookes, was also published/other pamphlets and posters were produced - The society produced evidence that hundreds of British seamen involved in the trade died every year - William Wilberforce tried to influence the prime minister and Prince of Wales to support the abolition of the slave trade/MPs were routinely petitioned - Wilberforce presented a bill to Parliament on numerous occasions to end the slave trade - John Newton, a former slave ship captain, preached against slavery - Newton wrote the hymn 'Amazing Grace' - Granville Sharp challenged slavery in the courts - Anti-slavery petitions were signed - Wedgwood produced goods with the slogan 'Am I not a man and a brother?' - People boycotted goods such as sugar

Who was William Wilberforce and what did he do?

- An MP committed to the abolition of slavery - He represented the abolitionists in Parliament for 20 years, until abolition in 1807 - He presented his first Bill for Abolition in 1791, and every year thereafter until his success

What were the abolitionists' arguments against the slave trade?

- Details of plantation conditions led to the boycott of sugar and slave produced goods - Details the middle passage and the treatment of the enslaved people - Equiano's eyewitness account of the Middle Passage in "An Interesting Narrative" highlighted harsh conditions - Clarkson brought examples of slave equipment and plans of slave ships to show the public which caused outrage - The abolitionists used moral or religious arguments against slavery

Who was Josiah Wedgewood and what did he do?

- He designed a medallion for abolitionists to wear - The medallion's inscription 'Am I Not a Man and a Brother?' became the catchphrase of abolitionists

Who was Thomas Clarkson and what did he do?

- He gathered evidence for the abolitionists against the evils of the slave trade

Who was John Newton and what did he do?

- He was a former slave ship captain who turned to religion - He spoke against the slave trade at public meetings - He became a well-known clergyman and many came to listen to his famous sermons against slavery

Who was Granville Sharp and what did he do?

- He was an abolitionist lawyer - He won the Somerset legal case which meant slaves in England couldn't be forced out to the West Indies

What was slave resistance like on plantations and why it was so hard to accomplish?

- Life on the plantations was controlled by very strict laws or codes - Slaves sabotaged their owners by working slowly and badly - They were harshly punished for resistance (eg: whipping, hanging, mutilation or lashing) - Many of the islands were small and there was little hope of fleeing the island - Many slaves attempted to run away when they saw a chance - It was difficult for slaves with basic weapons to fight back against plantation owners who had guns - The brutal treatment of captured slaves acted as a powerful deterrent to other slaves - Captured slaves would often be put to death or were subject to horrific punishments (eg: mutilation) - Slaves had their ears, noses and limbs cut off - Plantation owners offered large rewards for the capture of escaped slaves - Escaped slaves could easily be identified by brandings or lack of legal papers - Plantation owners used bounty hunters or bloodhounds to track down runaway slaves

What were the different stages of the triangular trade?

- Ships sailed from Europe to Africa carrying manufactured goods - Ships often departed from and arrived at British ports such as Bristol, Liverpool, occasionally Glasgow - Manufactured goods eg guns, alcohol, glass beads, pots and pans were exchanged for slaves Slaves were held in slave factories on the west coast of Africa - Slave ships left West Africa carrying slaves to West Indies and the Americas (the Middle Passage) - Slaves were packed on to ships to maximise profits - Conditions on the middle passage were very poor and slaves often died from disease or mistreatment - Slaves were usually sold by auction upon arrival in West Indies or America - Profits from slave auctions were then invested in sugar, coffee, cotton, tobacco - Ships carrying tobacco, sugar, molasses, cotton would sail back across the Atlantic (the Home Run) - Cotton, tobacco, sugar, coffee could be sold on the return to Britain for a large profit

Describe slave auctions and seasoning

- Slaves could be sold aboard the ship or onshore at a public auction - Slaves were washed, rubbed with palm oil to disguise sores and to make them look healthier - 5 million slaves died in seasoning camps - Seasoned slaves were sold for 52% more in Jamaica than unseasoned slaves - Slaves who had been whipped were covered in tar - Slaves were pocked and their teeth were checked - Slaves were split up from friends and families - Slaves were humiliated and stripped of their dignity

What was the impact of the slave trade on the Caribbean islands?

- The Caribbean island of Barbados was transformed by slave trade - Small farms were replaced by large plantations - Plantations were the work place and final resting place of armies of African slaves - Native populations were cleared from the islands and were wiped out - Many of the native people were killed by the white settlers - New diseases were introduced to the islands that killed some natives - As well as plantations, factories were also set up on the islands to refine the sugar - Island economies stifled by slave trade (eg: - Jamaican economy became too reliant on sugar production) - Natural beauty of island landscapes was damaged by the growth of plantations - Slave trade brought racist attitudes to the Caribbean - Fear of violent rebellion so Caribbean became more volatile - Slave uprisings caused damage and destruction

Explain why there was a delay in the abolition

- The French colony of st Dominique had a revolt - Slaves took control to make the independent nation of Haiti killing 4000 white people and burning 180 plantations - Britain feared that the rebellion idea would spread - France abolished slavery in 1793 and paid compensation to those who lost business - Britain could not afford a similar policy - The war with France in 1793 meant Britain spent £18 million on war and had to raise taxes - Britain delayed the abolition to ensure they could maintain high taxes on tobacco, sugar and coffee

What were the conditions on board ships during the Middle Passage and how did abolitionists used them to abolish the slave trade?

- The right ankle of one is connected with the left ankle of another by a small iron fetter - Slave ships did leave at night due to fears held by slaves not wanting to leave their country and fear of increased panic aboard slave ships - Many slaves were punished if they refused to exercise on the deck and suffered from diseases - Details of plantation conditions led to the boycott of sugar and slave produced goods - Equiano's eyewitness account of the Middle Passage in "An Interesting Narrative" highlighted harsh conditions - Clarkson brought examples of slave equipment/plans of slave ships to show the public which caused outrage

What were the reasons why many people in Britain continued to support the slave trade?

- The slave trade brought wealth to Britain, so was popular with those who became wealthy - The slave trade brought employment to Britain in areas such as shipyards, ports, mills, manufacturing, so was supported many involved in these industries - Cities profited from the slave trade (eg Bristol, Liverpool and Glasgow), so many in these cities wished to see slavery continue - The products of the slave trade were in great demand (eg cotton, tobacco and sugar) and many believed that slavery was needed in order to meet the demand for these products - Involvement in the slave trade helped Britain to remain a world power, so many continued to support slavery - The slave trade was seen as a valuable training ground for the Royal Navy, so it was supported - Many MPs had financial interests in the slave trade, so wished to see it continue - Many MPs were being bribed to ensure that they continued to give their support for the continuation of the trade - The slave trade still enjoyed the support of the King - Profits from the trade were essential to fund the war with France

Why was the slave trade was important to Britain's economy and its cities?

- The slave trade provided work in almost every industry in the town (eg: jobs for sailors, dock workers, rope makers) - Merchants made huge profits importing sugar from the Caribbean - Jobs were provided in many industries (eg: shipbuilding, rope making, dock work, banking, finance, sailors) - Profits from the slave trade were invested in British Industry - Wealthy colonial families built huge mansions in many British cities - Many important civic buildings and towns in British cities were built using the profits of the trade - Manufactured goods made in Britain were traded in Africa or exported to the plantations (triangle trade) - The slave trade provided a boost to shipbuilding and led to expansion of docks - The port cities grew in size and power through its involvement in transporting slaves - Bristol became wealthy through its involvement in the sugar trade and had an advantage over London as they could trade with countries such as Ireland and Spain - Lancashire mills were provided with work through slave cotton - London benefited and grew with the opportunity of banking and insurance industries - Glasgow's economy later shifted to the processing of sugar imported from the West Indies and also made great profits from the trade in tobacco - Liverpool was raised from a struggling port to one of the richest and most prosperous trading centres in the world

When did parliament ban slavery?

- The slave trade was banned in 1807 - Parliament passed an act banning all slavery in the Empire in 1833

How were slaves treated on the plantations?

- They followed a policy of control through fear - Slaves had no rights (not treated equal) - Slaves were seen as possessions rather than human beings - There was no punishment for owners who worked their slaves to death - No one questioned owners burning or torturing their slaves - Slaves were forced to work long hours - Slaves were often whipped for not working hard enough - Slave families were often broken up when slaves were bought and sold from plantations

How many Africans were enslaved

12 million Africans made slaves and removed from homes

What was the slave gender and age ratio?

14% of slaves were under 14 years old 56% of slaves were adult males 30% of slaves were women

How did the French Revolution affect the abolition of the slave trade??

Abolition was delayed as Britain couldn't afford to spend money compensating slave owners during a war

Factors: benefits the slave trade brought to Britain

Employment - Jobs in construction (eg: factories and homes) - Many people relied on the slave trade for employment, (eg: shipbuilding, sailors, ropemakers and sail-makers) - Other jobs (eg banking, insurance, industrial) Industrial benefits - Glasgow - tobacco trade contributed to the growth of the industry - The growth of industries such as copper smelting, sugar-refining, glass-making and textiles - Profits from the slave trade provided the capital for the Industrial Revolution Financial/Municipal benefits - Individuals and cities became richer due to the slave trade (eg: Liverpool, Bristol, London) - Wealthy individuals invested profits from the trade (eg: schools, colleges, libraries) - London provided financial services such as insurance - London banks provided long-term loans for the slave trade Consumer benefits - Cotton, tobacco and sugar in high demand

Describe impact of the trade on British ports

LONDON - From 1663 to 1698, London was the only British port allowed to trade African slaves - Financial services such as insurance and long-term loans became in demand - London provided these services to merchants which was vital to the success of Atlantic slavery BRISTOL - By 1730, ships from Bristol were carrying more enslaved people than London vessels - It's West coast position gave it an advantage over London - It could trade with Ireland, Spain, France and Portugal - Merchants bought buildings in the city - Glass-making and sugar-refining industries grew as a result of the trade LIVERPOOL - Was raised from a poor city to largest slave ship construction site in Britain by the 1780's - Had a large and deep waterfront and was unaffected by the tides unlike Bristol - Larger ships reloaded quicker and had no docking difficulties so was preferred by many GLASGOW - Scotland was independent til 1707 so was not allowed to trade - Scottish merchants known as tobacco lords created trading networks in Virginia - By 1760 Glasgow was the main importer of tobacco - Only around 30 slaves voyages departed from Scottish ports (most from Glasgow) - Many streets are still named after tobacco lords (Buchanan and Dunlop)

How did slavery effect the African male population?

Male population reduced by 20%

Factors: the success of the abolitionist campaigns

Role of Thomas Clarkson - Visited ports such as Liverpool to collect evidence about the cruelties of the slave trade - Interviewed sailors who were involved in the slave trade - Risked his life to campaign for the abolition of slavery - Clarkson published his evidence about the slave trade - Clarkson's influence on Wilberforce and others Role William Wilberforce - William Wilberforce led the campaign against the slave trade in parliament - He presented bills to abolish the slave trade - He used his friendship with the prime minister and the monarchy to win support for abolition - He became the leader of the Society for the Abolition of the Slave Trade Role of John Newton - Former slave ship captain, John Newton, preached against the evils of the trade/wrote the hymn, Amazing Grace - Freed slaves such as Olaudah Equiano published personal accounts about the terrible nature of the slave trade Role of Granville Sharp - He was one of the first English campaigners for the abolition of the slave trade - He also involved himself in trying to correct other social injustices - He campaigned against slavery in British courts Other campaigns - Many people across Britain signed petitions against the slave trade - Pamphlets, posters, newspaper adverts were used to campaign against the slave trade - Slogans such as 'Am I not a man and a brother' were used/appeared on Wedgwood crockery - Boycotts of slave-produced goods such as sugar Changing attitudes - Christian teaching led people to change their attitudes to the slave trade - People began to think of Africans as fellow human beings - Plantation agriculture became less important to the British economy - People began to regard slave labour as an inefficient way to produce goods