The anti-slavery movement (AQA GCSE History): Revision Notes

The anti-slavery movement

Introduction and context

The campaign to end slavery emerged in Britain during the late 18th century, marking a significant shift in attitudes towards human rights and equality. The movement began gaining momentum following two crucial legal cases that highlighted the brutal realities of the slave trade.

In 1771, James Somerset, an enslaved person who had been brought to Britain, managed to escape. The following year, English courts made a landmark decision declaring that slavery was illegal on British soil because there was no law supporting it in Britain. However, this ruling did not extend to the British colonies, where slavery continued to flourish and remained central to the plantation economy.

The scale of the African slave trade

The transatlantic slave trade had been operating since the 15th century, but its expansion accelerated dramatically with the growth of the British Empire, particularly the development of sugar plantations in the West Indies. This expansion created an enormous demand for enslaved labour from Africa.

The numbers involved were staggering - historians estimate that approximately 12 million enslaved Africans were transported to the Americas between the 16th and 19th centuries. The conditions endured by enslaved people were horrific, both during the ocean crossing and once they arrived at their destinations. About 1.5 million people died during the treacherous sea journey alone, while those who survived faced lives of extreme hardship and brutality on plantations.

The catalyst for change

A pivotal moment came in 1781 with the Zong case, which shocked the British public and galvanised opposition to slavery. The captain of the slave ship Zong deliberately threw 130 sick enslaved people overboard during the voyage. When the case came to court, the captain was cleared of murder charges because enslaved people were legally considered property, not human beings.

This legal decision outraged many people and demonstrated the dehumanising nature of slavery. In response, London Quakers petitioned Parliament to abolish the slave trade entirely, marking the beginning of organised political action against slavery.

Religious foundations of the movement

Religion played a crucial role in motivating opposition to slavery. Many campaigners were driven by their religious convictions, particularly the belief that all people were equal in the eyes of God. The Quakers (Religious Society of Friends) were especially prominent in this movement, basing their activism on principles of equality and peace that formed the core of their faith.

The religious dimension gave the anti-slavery movement moral authority and helped attract supporters who might not have been motivated by economic or political arguments alone. This spiritual foundation provided campaigners with the conviction and persistence needed for a long and difficult struggle.

Key figures in the movement

William Wilberforce (1759-1833)

Wilberforce became the most famous face of the anti-slavery movement in Parliament. As a Member of Parliament and gifted public speaker, he was deeply committed to his Anglican faith. He founded the Society for the Abolition of the Slave Trade and worked tirelessly to bring the issue before Parliament. Wilberforce believed that slavery was morally wrong and that God had called him to work for its end. He led the parliamentary campaign against the slave trade for over 20 years, facing repeated defeats before finally achieving success.

Granville Sharp (1735-1813)

Sharp was an Anglican who became involved in the anti-slavery cause through the Somerset case in 1772, where he supported Somerset's legal fight for freedom. During the mid-1780s, he championed a project to resettle former enslaved people in Sierra Leone, West Africa, giving them the opportunity to build new lives as free people. In 1787, Sharp became one of the founding members of the Society for the Abolition of the Slave Trade.

Thomas Clarkson (1760-1846)

Clarkson's involvement began when he wrote a prize-winning essay about slavery as a university student. He became a central figure in the campaign to abolish the slave trade and was instrumental in organising abolition societies across the country. Clarkson was one of the key organisers of the Society for the Abolition of the Slave Trade's first meeting in 1787. He spent years collecting extensive evidence about the horrors of slavery and made this information available to anyone who would support the cause of abolition.

Campaign methods

Starting in 1787, the Society for the Abolition of the Slave Trade began systematically influencing public opinion against slavery using various innovative techniques:

Petitioning - The society organised massive petition campaigns, collecting over 100 petitions in 1788 alone. These demonstrated the growing public opposition to slavery and put pressure on Members of Parliament.

Evidence collection - Campaigners gathered detailed testimonies and physical evidence of the brutal conditions on slave ships and plantations. This documentation provided concrete proof of slavery's horrors that could not be easily dismissed.

Publishing - They produced pamphlets, books, and other printed materials to spread awareness and educate the public about the realities of slavery.

Public meetings and speeches - Organised gatherings allowed campaigners to reach large audiences and build support for their cause.

Memorabilia - They created and distributed collectible items that kept the anti-slavery message visible in people's daily lives.

Working with freed slaves - Campaigners collaborated with formerly enslaved people like Olaudah Equiano, who published his powerful memoir in 1789, giving a first-hand account of slavery's brutality.

Economic boycotts - In the 1820s, over 300,000 people boycotted sugar produced by enslaved labour, using consumer power to put economic pressure on the slave-based economy.

Parliamentary lobbying - They persistently lobbied Members of Parliament and achieved several resolutions between 1790-1795, gradually building political support.

Timeline of key events

• 1771: James Somerset escapes from slavery in Britain
• 1772: English courts declare slavery illegal in Britain (Somerset case)
• 1781: Zong case - 130 enslaved people thrown overboard
• 1787: Society for the Abolition of the Slave Trade founded
• 1788: Over 100 petitions submitted to Parliament
• 1807: British slave trade officially ended
• 1820s: Mass sugar boycotts organised
• 1833: Slavery completely abolished throughout the British Empire

Impact and significance

The anti-slavery movement achieved its primary goals when the slave trade was ended in 1807 and slavery itself was abolished throughout the British Empire in 1833. However, the movement's significance extends far beyond these legislative victories.

The campaign represented a fundamental shift in British society towards recognising the idea of equality. Instead of viewing enslaved people as property, growing numbers of people began to demand that they be treated as human beings with inherent rights and dignity. This represented a revolutionary change in thinking about human worth and social relationships.

The anti-slavery movement also pioneered new forms of moral campaigning. Previous political campaigns had typically focused on addressing the specific needs or interests of particular groups. The anti-slavery movement was different because it was the first major campaign based primarily on outrage about how other people were being treated, rather than on direct self-interest.

This approach to campaigning - focusing on moral principles and the treatment of others - would become a model for future social reform movements. The methods developed by anti-slavery campaigners, including mass petitioning, boycotts, and public education campaigns, established techniques that would be used by later movements fighting for various forms of social justice.