asistory

January 10, 2022

Abolition movement of Europe
For:
 Slavery already existed in Europe/Africa
 Sugar required a large labor force, hence the interest in west Africans as slaves
 Africa was overpopulated
 The bible condoned slavery
 Africans were view as barbaric
 Africans were easily identified
 Africans were knowledgeable of agricultural work
 Africans were used to the climate, hence, they could work in it
 Africans were cheaper than paid European indentured laborers
Impact of 19century slave revolts on the slave system
The slaves were keenly observant of the emancipation movement. They were convinced
that their freedom was being with-held by their masters and they rebelled in Barbados, Guyana,
and Jamaica. The savagery with which the white authorities suppressed the rebellion and
prosecuted non-conformist missionaries who were accused of inciting the resistance. The
convinced the abolitionist and the British gov that total emancipation was the only alternative to
the successful attempts at improving slave conditions.
Capitalists grew very weary, and they were unwilling to invest in the West Indies, and
this further weakened the West Indies (Green, 1976 British Slave Emancipation).
Attitudes Towards Slavery
Before the 18th century believed that slavery was necessary for the conversions of
Pagans (Africans) to Christianity. Secondly, prevalent in England and France was the conviction
that Africans were uncivilized, a barbaric race and therefore deserved to be enslaved. The blacks
were inferior to whites and were in destined to serve them. Thirdly, the bible ambiguity on the
morality of slavery heightened the controversy as it was used to support the arguments for
supporters and opposers of slavery. Fourthly, by the 18th century there was an increase in the
opposition of slave trade and slavery. This was first sparked by humanitarian motives. I France
the Great Philosoft o such as Rousseau who condemned slavery as being contrary to natural law.
The French antislavery movement was based on this rational. In England, the emancipation
movement originated with evangelicals and non-conformists' groups. Lastly, in the late 18th
century economists argued that slavery was wasteful, crude and inefficient.
Protagonist Attitude Towards Slavery
(For)
  The slave trade and slavery were essential to produce tropical raw materials.
 Amerindian and European indentured laborers were inadequate.
 The slave trade was a training ground for sailors of the European Navy.
 Slavery existed in Africa, and this was a crude form of slavery
 Working conditions in Europe and on the slave plantations were similar.
 Slavery was justified by the bible

Antagonist Arguments of Slavery

(Against)
 Paid labor was more efficient than slave labor
 Merchants and new industrialist favored free trade instead of mercantilism on
which sugar and slavey was based. They wanted a change in the economic order.
The new capitalist, the non-conformist entrepreneurs that were produced by the
industrial revolution were disciples of Laissez- Faire. Liberal economist preached
by Adam Smith in his wealth of nation (1776) argued that restrictions on free
trade between nations (mercantilism), (navigation acts and the protected markets,
enjoyed in Britian by the West Indies sugar producers) led to expensive,
inefficiently produced commodities, because competition was lacking, labor
expenses reluctant as well as the law of supply and demand were violated.
The new manufacturing capitalist came to sell their products worldwide,
demanded an end to protected markets and according to Eric Williams in his
controversial capitalism and slavery (1964) it was this unstated economic pressure which
underpinned the abolitionist apparently the humanitarians concern for an end to slavery.
 Profits from the slave trade were no longer great and there were
new areas for more profitable overseas trade to be exploited.
 The high mortality of slaves on the middle passage and on the
estates due to inhumane treatments
 Prosecution of the missionaries betrayed the barbarity of the
planters
 Slavery violated the basic message of the gospel (The brotherhood
of man)

Abolition and emancipation in the British empire (1772-1838)

 Interest Groups
Non-conformist Missionaries:
January 12, 2022
The Baptist, Methodist, meridian and the Congregationalist who instructed the
slaves about Christianity and attempted to improve their conditions. They were
persecuted by the planters and slaves did not trust them. Prosecution by the planters and
ill reports of slave conditions stirred sympathy for the abolitionist movement.

The Quakers (Society of Friends)

First and most outspoken critics of slavery. A prominent member was Grandville Sharp
who later joined the society for effecting the abolition of slave trade.
The Clap ham sect (The Saints)
The wellbeing of the slaves became of interest to the evangelical humanitarians such as
Ramsy, Wilberforce, Macaulay and others who met and worshiped in clap ham, South London
between 1792 and 1813 where the chartered the course of the parliamentary campaign against
the slave trade.
Society for effecting the abolition of the slave trade-
Created in 1787, it drew together the diverse elements of the opposition to the slave trade
and eventually gained its abolition. Its chief parliamentary orientator was Wilberforce and other
prominent members were Clarkson, sharp, Ramsy, Macaulay etc.
Society for the mitigation and gradual abolition of slavery
Formed 1823, its sphere headed the headed the greatest propaganda greatest movement of
all time. Its humanitarian crusade aided by favorable economic conditions resulted in the passing
of the emancipation act.
New Tories
Industrialists believed that slavery was a wasteful, crude, inefficient system of labor
which did not fit in with the new laissez-faire economics and the new world of cheap mechanical
production brought about by the industrial revolution. These men such as George Canning,
William Huskisson and James Stephen were not Moralist.
The west Indian Lobby
A powerful pressure group made up of retired planters, absentee planters, slave trading
interest agents and friends of the west Indian plantocracy well represented in parliament. The
lobby group was able to block the passage of abolitionist legislation for a long time. Stung by the
plantocracy’s rejection of their amelioration proposal as means of stopping emancipation, they
still secured 20million pounds in compensation and the apprenticeship scheme for the planters on
the emancipation act (1833).

Outstanding Personalities
Supremely intelligent, indomitable champion of destitute slaves in England Grandville
Sharp (1735-1813) was the outstanding founding father of the abolitionists crusade. From 1767-
1772, he waged a one-man battle to get a ruling on the legality of slavery in England. By the
summerset case of 1772, he forced chief justice Manfield into ruling that slavery was illegal in
England. A judgement upheld in Ireland and Scotland. Thus, slavery had ended in the British Isle
on the morality of slavery in the rest of the British empire was questioned. His other notable
work was in the establishment of Sierraleone as a repatriation colony for destitute ex-slaves.
Skillful Orator
An influential parliamentarian William Wilberforce (1758- 1833) was the most famous of
the abolitionists. He devoted his entire life to the anti-slavery crusade. Convinced of the
immorality of the slave trade, he set out to destroy it and persevered severe opposition in the
house of commons after the outbreak of the French Revolution to witness this enactment of the
abolition bill which was moved by Charles James Fox. However, due to his ill health he
surrendered leadership of the anti-slavery movement to Thomas Buckton. He barely lived long
enough to see the passing of emancipation in 1833.
His massive figure, forceable speeches and dominating personality made toss Fowell
Buckson (1776-1845) and most effective leader of the anti-slavery movement from 1822-1833.
By collecting evidence against slave trade Thomas Clarkson (1760-1846) supplied
Wilberforce with raw ammunition he needed to condemn the trade. He was a member of the
society for the abolition of slave trade, and he continued with the fight for emancipation.
The Abolition of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade (ended 1807)
What were the reasons for the passing of the abolition of the slave trade act?
1. Hardwork of the abolitionists.
2. Establishment of continental blockade by Napolean Bonaparte during Napoleonic wars
(glut of sugar on British market which led to falling prices).
3. Planters in older colonies supported abolition hence, there was a fear of competition from
newer colonies.
4. British slave readers supplied slaves to foreign territories and provided competition for
BWI sugar production.
 5. The debt of British prime minister William Pitt in 1806 clear the way for appointment of
men who supported the abolition movement such as William, Wyndam, Grenville, Pm
and foreign secretariat Charles James Fox.
According to Eric Williams in Columbus to Castro, the abolition of slave trade came about in
1808- Denmark, 1807- Britian, 1817- France, 1818-Holland, 1820-Spain, 1824/1827-Sweden while
the abolition of slavery came about: 1833 Britain, 1836-Sweden, 1838-France, 1863-Hollan, 1873-
Puerto Rico, 1880-Cuba, 1886-Spain.
State of Jamaican Plantation prior to 1807
Between 1799 and 1807-65 plantations were abandoned and 32 sold due to bankruptcy.
In 1806 the price of sugar was less than the cost of production.
Opposition to the Transatlantic Trade
According to Verline shepherd in freedom delayed opposition to the trans-Atlantic slave trade
came from slave activist and further resistance was seen in Africa, on the middle passage, as well
as on plantations and strategies including running away, everyday act/s of sabotage and wars of
resistance.
With white activists there was broad based alliance of religious sects, politicians, philosophers,
industrialists, workers organizations and women's groups. Religious groups included Baptist,
Catholics, meridian. Society for the abolition of the slave trade was formed in 1877 by
Grandville Sharp and Thomas Clarkson. Adam Smith, the economist, played an influential role
and this was evident with the Wealth of Nations. Additionally, influential whites included
Thomas Fowell Buckson, George Fox, John Westley, Joseph Stern. Josiah Wedgewood, Joseph
Woods, James Phillips. Joseph Cooper, George Harrison, and John Barton.

Women Activists
Women contributed approximately 10% of financial support to the society for the abolition of the
slave trade. Women such as Mary Brisket, Hannah Moore and Wellstone Craft played strategic
roles.
A considerable body of working- and middle-class women were involved in the campaign from
its early stage.
Strategies used by women included speaking out against the trade in Africans. Boycotting and
writing anti-slavery tracks.
Black Activist
Ignatius Sancho went to England at age 2 in 1731 (1st African to vote in Britian). He was a popular shop
keeper and 1st African prose writer to have his work published in England. He was a vocal opponent to
the trafficking of Africans. He wrote numerous letters and solicited against slave trade.
Olaudah Equiano/Gustavas Vassa Kidnapped in Africa at age 11, eventually, bought his freedom from his
3rd master a quaker. He wrote and published his abolitions' autobiography and best seller” The interesting
narrative of the life of Olaudah Equiano/ Gustavo Vassa.”
He travelled extensively around B and gave talks on the evil of trans-Atlantic's slaves in Africa. Otta bah
Caguana was the first published African critic of the transatlantic trade in Africans. He was kidnapped in
Ghana and enslaved. He migrated from Grenada to England around 1752 and was given his freedom. He
published in 1787, “Thoughts and Sentiments of the evil and wicked traffic of the salve system and
commerce of the human species." He further wrote that enslaved people had both the moral right and duty
to resist their masters.
January 14, 2022
Sons of Africa
This was groups of Africans in London who gave support to the abolition movement. Additionally,
testimonies of slaves were exposed by abolitionists. Some of these black activists included Rober
Mandeville, Thomas Cooper, Jasper Goree and William Green.
Role of Haiti in the abolition of the trade

1. The St. Dominique revolution of 1791 led to emancipation and Haitian independence.
2. The Haitian constitution of 1805 declared that any enslaved person who arrived in Haiti would be
declared a citizen. Thus, they effectively abolished slavery and replaced it with citizenship.
3. Haiti became the Atlantic symbol of black redemption and liberation.

According to Sheperd and Beckles in Liberties lost European abolitionists movement were very
influential in the abolition of the trans-Atlantic trade in Africans. French abolitionists movement was
influenced by Marie Jean-Condorcet, Antwaine Lavoisier, Jacque Pierre Brissot, Mirabeau, Etieme
Claviere, Louis-Alexadra La Rochefoucauld, and Jerome Petion. In 1791, the French national assembly
debated and condemned both Atlantic slave trade and colonial slave owning. They declared that any
person who arrived on French soil would be free of slavery.
The French gov also made a distinction between slave trading and slave owning. In 1794, the convention
in Paris abolished slavery. Nevertheless, slave trading continued under the law.
Legislation abolition

- An act of British parliament was needed to end the slave trade

- Petitions strayed to reach the parliament around 1776
- In 1776, dais Hartley presented the first bill against slavery and the trade in Africans however,
this was rejected.
- In 1783, the house of commons debated a bill to abolish the Trans-Atlantic trade in Africans
moral standard. However, this was not supported since the view of majority of members saw
slavery as being too important to the economy of the British empire for the TAT (Trans-Atlantic
Slave Trade) in Africans to end.
- In 1787, the founding of a committee for effecting the abolition of the slave trade developed with
a two-face approach: 1st abolition of the trade, then the abolition of slavery.
- In 1781, William Wilberforce introduced the bill to abolition the TAT in Africans (defeated by
one 63 votes to 88).
- In 1804, house of commons passed ‘slave abolition bill’ this was thrown out by house of lords.
 - In1805, prime minister William Pitt secured order in council, indicating that as of 1806 certain
grown colonies would no longer be allowed to import Africans (William Pitt died in 1806).
- Governor of the new Pm lord Grandville was opposed to TAT in Africans
- In 1806, resolution moved by Charles Fox for the immediate and total abolition of the slave trade.
- In 1806, the slave trade abolition bill was passed in the house of lords by 40 votes to 20 and
became law in May 1807 and became effective in January 1808.
Responses to abolition

- English slavers sailed on under the flags of other countries that still had slave trade e.g., France,
Spain, and Portugal
- Slave captains often threw human cargo overboard if they were discovered by British navy.
- In 1811, the British gov increased the penalties for these offences with the hope of reducing these
activities.
- Haitian gov patrolled the high seas and freed the slaves and grant them Haitian citizenship e.g.,
Spanish Ship-Dos Unidos.
Danish Abolition

- 1792- Danish gov declared that from 1803 slave trade would be prohibited in its colonies.
- Danish colonies such as St. Proy and St Thomas ‘Stock up’ on slaves by importing enormous
amounts.
- Danish gov believed that the economic benefits of the slave trade had fallen to a low level and
was no longer worth the moral and politicism criticism and outrage.
- African forts were no longer profitable and Danish gov were more interested in the breeding of
creole slaves instead of purchasing new slaves.
- The colonists were encouraged to treat slaves well and promote natural increase.

American Abolition Movement -

- In the 1780’s, many states e.eg, Carolina, Maryland, and Verginia outlawed the importation of
enslaved persons from Africa.
- Legislators of Massachusetts debated on anti-slavery human trade bill.
- Also in 1778, many Virginians voted to free all illegally imported Africans.

The Decline Thesis

The decline thesis as set forth by Eric William in his book ‘Capitalism and Slavery’ (1964), stated that the
decline of the West Indian economy was the most important factor in participation emancipation since the
atmosphere had not favored those who had shares in plantation agriculture.
Wiliam believed that economic factors played a greater role than any other factor in the abolition of
slavery in the British Caribbean in 1834. While C. Moore (1977) in his text ‘Economides: British Slavery
in the era of abolition’ argued that it was not for economic decline that the system of slavery was
abolished obviously trade was interrupted after the American revolution; but the colonies were able to
recover after a period of years.
Up to the 1800’s the planters were able to make more profits than before, and this was evident in records
of exports and investments which produced much statistical data.
C. Moore can be described as the most notable antagonist of the decline thesis/ theory. David Bryan
Davis in a review of the book From Slavery to freedom descried C. Moore as a historian who in ecocide
demolished the long-standing thesis that British abolitionists seceded only because the slave colonist was
in a state of reversable decline (1999).
Moore day view was that slavery had still been profitable and thus significant to Britain when the
abolition of the slave trade has stopped.
The abolition of slavery marked another dimension of the 50 years debate. Roger Anstey who attempted
to give statistical evidence to show that slavery was still profitable was an Abid believer that the abolition
of the slave trade was Soley based on Christian benevolent.
Moore gave great sig to the humanitarians they’re main arguments were if the slave trade was still
profitable, then looking at the abolition of slavery from the perspective of the economy, the move was in
contradiction to the interest of Britain. Moore declared that Williams mistook ‘effects for causes.
According to Moore the colonies only lost value because of the abolition of the slave trade.
The idea of African slavery producing a suitable channel for the industrial revolution brought forward by
Williams seemed to be the main topic of debate in contemporary times. The major issue at hand is
whether the profit of slavery was large enough to support such a major revolution.
The decline thesis and its opponents
Appearing in 1944, capitalism anti-slavery was a comprehensive attempt to explain the rise and fall of
British colonial slavery in relation to the evolution of European world capitalism. In dealing with the final
stages of slavery Eric Williams developed a two-prong argument linking its demise to changes in the
British imperial economy. The first prong related to changes in the structure of economic relationships
between the metropole and colonies.
The American revolutionary war, Williams concluded that British slavery including the Atlantic slave
trade was a growing a complimentary element of the imperial economy. The slave system provided an
ever-increasing number of tropical staples. A protected market for British manufacturers and a source of
British metropolitan capital. In a number of ways, the slave economy helped to fuel the industrial
revolution and William second prong related to political economy but Moreso to an economic ideology
that was designated as Mercantilism. It sustained the multiple linkages of the system by assuming the
need for a protected imperial zone in which British manufactures trade and marketing skills could be
developed.
For William the American war drastically changed the economic and ideological relationship which had
sustained the slave system. British colonial production. Under increasing competition from its French
counterpart ceased to provide what was needed by the empire whether amply or cheaply enough.
In capitalism and slavery 1776, began the ‘uninterrupted decline’ of the British west indies both as a
producer of staples, as a Comsumer of British industrial output, and as a contributor to British capital.
The very capitalism that had been nurtured by slavery was now destroyed and this affected further
development. At precisely the same moment, a new politician economy was born, and this was noted in
Adam Smith Wealth of Nations. It viewed protected colonial trade as a break on the creation of nation
wealth. The demise of slavery was thus perfectly congruent with the rise of laissez-faire.
At a lost from a global level, capitalism and slavery also provided a detailed set of rigorous economic
motivations for the short run successes and failure of British west indies such as the failure of the west
indies to recover its rate of profitability after the American war combined with the growth of alternative
staple to set the stage for the rise of abolition in the 1780’a. The St. Domonigue revolution momentarily
sent the tied, but colonial overproduction induced abolition of the slave trade in 1806-7 and emancipation
in 1833.
January 17, 2022
Emancipation
Persons enslaved in 1834 were pronounced both free and unfree in an amazing piece of double speech.
They were to become “Apprentice laborer and to acquire thereby all rights and privileges of free men;
subject to the restriction of laboring under conditions and for a time for their present owners.”
Agricultural (Pradial) enslaved became apprentice for six (6) years. While non-pradials would be for four
(4) years.
Apprenticeship in actuality was a device for forcing the enslaved to fund some of the compensation paid
to owners via free labor. Government subsidized indentured immigration which was mostly Indians. The
planters were further compensated by providing a new source of cheap labor for which the newly freed
had to bear some of the tax burden. In both the BWI and Suriname the first Indian indentured laborers
arrived shortly before the period of apprenticeship: continuing protective tariffs, favoring British
Caribbean produce as well as further compensation to the planters.
Upset among the supposedly freed had eventually caused the British to end the apprenticeship in 1823.
August 1, 1838, rather than august 1, 1834 became the preferred date for the celebration of British
emancipation. Trinidad was extremely near in terms of the exception to the early ending of
apprenticeship. With the other affected British colonies already onboard or changed Trinidad’s planter
strenuously ending apprenticeship early.
With his council deadlock gov George Fitz Gerald Hill had to use his casting vote to pass the measure.
This was done on July 25.1838 less than a week before apprenticeship ended. Trinidad’s crown colony
council comprised the governor, plus six official (British) and six unofficial (Local) members all
appointed by himself. The necessity for the gov casting vote, seemed to vindicate the view of the
undersecretary of state at the colonial office, James Staeven, that, ‘Popular franchise in the hands of a
great body of owners of slaves was the worst instrument of Tirrany which was ever yet forged for the
oppression of mankind.’ And the info came from Tony Martin- pre-colonial history.
Special justices were appointed to administer the provisions of the act. Whipping and other punishments
could be administered only with their concurrent. Women must not be flogged or beaten (this provision
was not always observed). Apprentices who could afford it should not be prevented from manumitting
themselves.
Local legislators were permitted to pass similar acts with enhanced benefits. Antigua and Barbuda
dispense with apprenticeship all together. The largest portion of the act dealt with the 20million pounds
paid to the planters. The preamble to the act did not express any profound regret for the induction of
slavery except to say that it was just an that all such people should be manumitted and set free.
(William A. Green British slave emancipation).
IN order to make sense more so to ensure that the British system worked properly the British government
appointed and paid special magistrate and sent them out to the respective colonies. There main duty was
to decide all dispute a riding between the apprentices and their owners the British government felt that the
local justices of peace who were themselves owners of apprentices could not be depending on to give
their decisions in matters of this kind. The justices did not have an easy task but many of them worked
hard and tried to fulfil their duties in the best way they could. Some were attacked by the white planter as
being ‘friends of the apprentices” while on the other hand some were obviously friends of the planters to
who social classes they belonged and who's hospitality they often enjoyed. (William A.Green. British
slave emancipation).
Historian Duglas Hall has stated that the best special magistrates were very active men who tolerated
neither undue laziness on the parts of the apprentices nor on due severity on the part of the master. Some
special; magistrates kept their district in order as they try to work with the governor and their collogues
(while courting neither the Favour that of the planters nor of that of the apprentices) and they tried less to
impose a system upon the community instead to engage the community in the task of living contentedly
within the system.
Unfortunately, there were not enough special magistrates best’ to administer the system fairly in all
colonies. As a special magistrate you were appointed to listen to the complaints of ill-treatment,
inadequate wages and distribution of food and clothing. Furthermore, they had to listen to the planters'
complaints when apprentices refused to work. Some magistrates favored the apprentices, but they were
not popular with them as they regarded the apprenticeship system as a decision to which to hold freedom
and the magistrates as upholder of the system.
Additionally, some magistrates were not popular with the planters because they started their attempt to
return to pre-slavery conditions. Some historians believed that it was accepted that the magistrates were
the first good thing to come out of the apprenticeship system.
The British emancipatory templates of amelioration. Emancipation, compensation, and apprenticeship
was faithfully followed with “Here and There” an exception by the entire Caribbean. British
Emancipation also generated further pressure on neighboring slave states and created an uproar among
the Africans. Danish governor Van Scholten’s unsuccessful; 1834 efforts at gradual emancipation had
already been noted. British colonies became more attractive destinations for what would be the maroons
from other jurisdictions. Guadeloupe's privy council sated in December 1838 that the proximity of now
freed British islands made emancipation in Guadeloupe a necessity. The French chambers of deputies
established a commission led by Alexis De Taka Ville to inquire into the question of emancipation. The
commission's report acknowledged the impact of events in the British colonies. It studied the British
emancipation process in great detail. Its 1839 reports concluded that the Africans were now
ungovernable. ‘It is no longer state of regular and established order. De taka Ville noted “It is a transitory
and stormy condition; the dreaded revolution has already begun.” It suggested quick and decisive
emancipation without apprenticeship as that term was understood in the British colonies. In
recommending compensation for slave owners to be paid in part from wages of would be freed.
TheDanish, Spanish and Dutch emancipat ion all imposed the ggradualism of the british; The french were
the big exceptions. De Taka Ville’s commison concluded that gradual emaniciation was unworkavle. The
premature terminatrion of brutish apprenticeship in 1838 was fresh in their minds ans a was a”hiccup” of
what wpuld happen if gradualism was tried in french colonies. Victor SCholvher like De Taka Ville and
frech abolitionist, was won over from gradualism to immediate emancipation in 1842. This was after a
trip to slave states in the French west indies Portu Rico and elsewhere.
The provisional government of France that followed the revolution of 1848; set up an emancipation
commission in March 1848. Schilcher, other secretary of state, the navy and colonies of the new
government presided. As a result of the commissions effort the gov announced emancipation in the
French colonies on April 27, 1848. The decree was, however, to take effect two months after the
document reached each colony. The Africans of Martine heard the news before the decree was effective
ad took military actions.
According to Tony Martin the gov killed 67-75 protesters on May 22. With the emancipation act of 1833
all slaves I the British colonies except those only 6 years of age would on August 1 st, 1834, become
apprentices and those under 6years would become free. The apprentices, however, would still be the
properties of their owners, giving 40 hours of labor each week just as if they were still slaves. Beyond the
40 hours they were free to work or not to work as they chose, however, if they did work for their masters,
they were entitled to demand wages. In this way apprentices were able to accumulate money which they
would later use to buy land after the end of slavery.
There would be no work on Sundays in return the employers would provide food and clothing, also by
saving out of his wages a slave could buy him freedom before his period of apprenticeship was over.
Apprenticeship was passed by the British parliament along with compensation to owners; as well as
freeing their slaves but, apprenticeship had to be passed by each colonial legislator. There could be no
alternative to apprenticeship that is no continuation of slavery, but colonies could dispense with
apprenticeship all together and grant immediate freedom or could cut short the period of apprenticeship.