Atlantic Slave Trade - why was the slave trade abolished?

2. Great Britain finally abolished the slave trade in 1807, after years of
campaigning by abolitionists. Given that many people supported
the trade, why did it finally end?

3. In 1807, the British
Parliament voted to abolish
the slave trade.
However this only ended the
buying and selling of slaves –
slavery itself continued.
Slavery was abolished in
British colonies in 1833.

4. Parliamentary campaigns
William Wilberforce was an
MP and Christian who
opposed slavery.
From 1789 until 1807, he
kept on introducing bills in
Parliament to abolish the
slave trade.

5. Many MPs gave speeches in
Parliament against slavery,
which made other MPs aware
of the campaign and
arguments against the trade.
Wilberforce was also friends
with the Prime Minister,
William Pitt, helping to
further influence changes.

6. Public opinion
The anti-slavery campaign
run by abolitionists was a
reason the trade ended.
By writing books and
holding public meetings it
raised the issue to public
attention.

7. Having former slaves –
such as Olaudah Equiano -
and former slavers speak
out made people aware of
the horrors of the trade.
The fact that most churches
were opposed to slavery
helped persuade many in
Britain to oppose it.

8. Thomas Clarkson’s tour of
British slave ports to gather
evidence of the slave trade
played an important role too.
The horrors that Clarkson
described - including items
such as shackles and branding
irons – meant that people
understood the trade.

9. Economic reasons
Britain increasingly traded
with other countries around
the world (often at cheaper
prices) – it had less of a need
for slave labour.
Countries such as India could
sell sugar more cheaply.

10. Anti-slavery campaigners
boycotted slave sugar. Sugar
companies then bought from
non-slave countries..
Many slave islands had a high
death rate amongst the slaves
– this made the trade more
difficult and expensive.

11. Other reasons
Some abolitionists challenged
slavery in the courts.
Granville Sharp (and others)
helped some slaves achieve
their freedom through court
cases. This made slavery more
costly and problematic.

12. The slave revolt on the
French island of Haiti
worried Britain too.
The violence shown in the
rebellion – led by Toussaint
L’Ouverture – could have
spread elsewhere. It seemed
safer to stop slavery and end
the chances of violence.

13. Slave rebellions in British
areas also cost their
owners money. This
often involved destroying
crops, or simply refusing
to work.
Ending the trade could
help stop money losses.

14. Abolitionists also were
careful to only ban the slave
trade – not slavery itself.
By targeting only one part of
the trade, this made it easier
to persuade people to
support the campaign.
Banning slavery could be
achieved later.

15. Key factors
• Parliamentary campaigns
• Campaign groups
• Sugar boycott
• Indian sugar
• Former slave’s speeches
• Slave rebellions
• Slave revolts in Haiti
• Anti-slavery court cases
• Thomas Clarkson’s evidence