Olaudah Equiano was the most significant factor for the

abolition of the Slave Trade Act (1807), which abolished the

slave trade in the British Empire
The Slave Trade Act was an Act of Parliament made in the United Kingdom passed
on 25 March 1807, with the long title "An Act for the Abolition of the Slave
Trade". A strong movement emerged in 18th-century Britain to put an end to the
buying and selling of human beings. The Slave Trade Act. Olaudah Equiano was an
African slave who eventually saved up to buy his freedom. Even though Olaudah
Equiano (later known as Gustavus Vassa) was a big factor in the abolition on the
slave trade, but in the end, I think he was just a head in the sea of abolitionists,
who were clearly the most important factor.
Olaudah Equiano was probably the least important factor in the abolition of the
slave trade of 1807. Equiano was an African slave who saved up his money and
eventually bought his freedom. He was a driver for a very rich man, who taught him
how to do business. He travelled the world with his owner, so learned to pick up
many languages. He used these in trading to get enough money to buy his freedom.
Once he was free, he wrote an auto-biography called The Interesting Narrative of
Olaudah Equiano (Or Gustavus Vassa) The African. The worst men they are
human butchers who cut and manacle slaves in a shocking manner. 1 Equiano wrote,
revealing the horrors of slavery in his book, people started to feel sorry for him
and started to rebel against slavery. The eyes of the British public were opened
to the selfish cruelty of the slave traders2 J Georgians thought that Equiano was
the most significant factor, alas I do not. I think that he was the least important
factor in the abolition of The Slave Trade Act.
The slave revolts were a major factor in the abolition of the slave trade. The
slaves were trying to break free and to do this, they had to rebel. One example of
this was the revolt in Saint Dominique, now known as Haiti, where the slaves killed
there plantation owners and set fire to the sugar cane fields. Rebels seized
1 The Interesting Narrative of Olaudah Equiano (Or Gustavus Vassa) The AfricanOlaudah
Equiano 1789

2 J Georgians Slave Ship Zongwww.hullswebb.co.uk Seen 29.1.2012

hundreds of plantations, butchering their enemies, 3 This led to the plantation

owners being murdered, and if they survived, has to pay an immense amount of
money to replace all the damaged crops. If they were some of the lucky owners
who werent rebelled against, they would get scared and have to get the slaves
under control somehow. And they chose body guards.
Economics were a huge factor in the abolition of the slave trade. People just
werent making money out of slavery anymore. Slavery was both incoherent and
inefficient4 which led to many people giving up on slavery and just employing
workers. Many plantation owners decided to just employ the slaves as workers
because if they were slaves, they had to house and feed them, but to just have
them as workers, they only had to pay them a very low wage and didnt need to care
for them. So all the owners set them free then just employed them as workers
instead. Overall I think that economics was important, but the abolitionists pulled
ahead only slightly.
I believe that the abolitionists where the most important factor in the abolition of
The Slave Trade Act in 1807. All men were originally free 5 Thomas Clarkson said,
who was one of the most famous abolitionists, alongside William Wilberforce.
Miserable wretches who were oppressed with disease, forced to dance by the
terror of the lash6 was part of one of William Wilberforces many speeches.
Wilberforce was a wealthy young man and at 21 became MP for Hull in the Tory
government. Wilberforce heard John Newton preach in London and became a
regular visitor to Newtons house. Wilberforce listened to Newtons descriptions of
the horrors of the slave trade. Abolitionists such as Clarkson and Sharp met
Wilberforce and persuaded him to join the Society for the Abolition of the Slave
Trade. Without abolitionists, like Wilberforce and others, I dont think the Slave
3 The American Slave TradeChristina Hatt 2001

4 Eric Williamswww.historytoday.com Seen 1.2.13

5 Thomas Clarksonwww.brainyquote.com Seen 4.2.13

6 William Wilberforcewww.famousspeaches.com Seen 4.2.13

Trade Act would have happened at all. Therefore I believe it is the most important
factor in the abolition of the Slave Trade Act.
In conclusion, I believe that the abolitionists where the main factor in the
abolition of the slave trade. Even though Olaudah Equiano was a highly significant
factor in the abolition of the Slave Trade Act, I believe he was just a head in the
sea of abolitionists to prevent the slave trade.