Abolition of the Transatlantic Slave Trade free essay sample

The struggle to end the transatlantic slave trade and slavery was achieved by African resistance and economic factors as well as through humanitarian campaigns. The most prominent abolitionists, notably Thomas Clarion and William Wildflower, were great publicists. Wildflower (1759-1833) led the British parliamentary campaign to abolish the slave trade and slavery. Opinion in Europe was also changing. Moral, religious and humanitarian arguments found more and more support. A vigorous campaign to achieve abolition began in Britain in 1 783 and also developed in North America and the Caribbean, often led by the Black churches.In Britain, Thomas Clarion (1760-1846) was another prominent campaigner who was principally responsible for collecting evidence against the trade. Clarion was a founder member of the society for effecting the abolition of the slave trade in 1787. In Liverpool, William Rose was one of the best known abolitionists. He wrote poetry and pamphlets in favor of abolition. Opinion in Liverpool was generally pro-slavery and like other abolitionists, Rose tended to work behind the scenes rather than openly declaring his views. We will write a custom essay sample on Abolition of the Transatlantic Slave Trade or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page An active counter campaign was mounted by those who profited from slavery. The West India lobby of plantation owners and their supporters in the British Parliament fought abolition. Although ultimately unsuccessful, they gained 20 million pounds compensation for plantation owners for the loss of their slaves. Ex-slaves were not compensated. Despite the abolition of slave trading by Britain and other countries from 1807 onwards, illegal trading continued for a further 60 years. About a quarter of all Africans who were enslaved between 1 500 and 1 870 were transported across the Atlantic in the years after 1807. Much of this illegal trade was to the sugar plantations of Cuba and Brazil.From 1815 to 1865, the British Royal Navy undertook antislavery patrols off the West African coast, seizing hundreds of vessels. Britain was forced to pay compensation for seized ships and to encourage countries such as Spain and Portugal to abolish slaving. Although humanitarian considerations were important, economic interests were also at stake. Cuba and Brazil were competitors to British West Indian sugar production. Merchants developing the palm oil trade with West Africa, who were largely based in Liverpool, also feared illegal slaving would damage their interests.