Slave Trade : Issue 5 Flashcards
(16 cards)
Essay introduction
• The Atlantic slave trade was exploited by British merchants during the 18th century but was eventually threatened by the abolitionist movement. The early progress of abolitionist campaigns was temporarily stalled by events outside Britain.
Issue 5 : slave rebellion in st Dominique
Knowledge
• London Society of West Indian Planters and Merchants wasted no time in using the violence and destruction of the revolution as confirmation of the maligned influence of the abolitionists. Fears over the consequences of abolition were increased in 1791 when 500,000 slaves on the French colony of St. Domingue rose up against their rulers and ended slavery, with a high loss of life, perhaps as high as 200,000
Issue 5 : slave rebellion in st Dominique
Analysis
• This is important as Such slave violence as reported from St. Domingue played into the hands of the slave lobby, confirming their warnings of anarchy if enslaved people became free after abolition of the trade
Issue 5 : slave rebellion in St Dominique
Analysis +
• On the other hand, Such slave violence as reported from St. Domingue played into the hands of the slave lobby, confirming their warnings of anarchy if enslaved people became free after abolition of the trade
Issue 5 : effects of the French Revolution
Knowledge
• the events of the French Revolution encouraged the belief among many MPs that the abolitionist cause was associated with revolutionary ideas e.g. Thomas Clarkson (a leading abolitionist) openly supported the French Revolution. It was argued that French radicals used the same tactics as abolitionists to win public support- associations, petitions, cheap publications, public lectures and pressure on Parliament and so abolitionists were portrayed as being as dangerous as those French radicals who had overturned the monarchy and aristocratic rule in France.
Issue 5 : effects of the French Revolution
Analysis
• is important as People feared similar upheavals to law and order in Britain and as a result support for abolition went into decline.
Issue 5 : effect of the French Revolution
Analysis +
• Furthermore, those who supported slavery argued that the wealth created by the slave trade would be necessary to pay for British involvement in the French Revolutionary wars and therefore critical to the nation’s success.
Issue 5 : Importance of the trade on British economy
British people had become reliant on the cheap sugar grown in the West Indies and tobacco from Chesapeake in Maryland. These crops were also highly prized export goods and Britain’s slave ports became entrepots, exporting the commodities of the slave plantations to Europe. This caused Slave owners and their supporters believed that millions of pounds worth of property would be threatened by the abolition of the slave trade.
Issue 5 : Importance of the trade on British economy
Analysis
• This is important as it was argued that taxes would have to be raised to compensate for the huge loss of trade, profits, and revenue the slave trade generated for Britain and individuals.
Issue 5 : Importance of the trade on British economy
Analysis +
• Furthermore, it was also argued that the country’s rivals would fill the gap left by abolition which would lead to the loss of Britain’s economic supremacy to the likes of the French which was unacceptable to the national interest.
Issue 5 : anti abolition campaign
Knowledge
• the propaganda used by the abolitionists to end slavery was beginning to gain ground in raising support for ending Britain’s involvement in the slave trade. tactics used were similar to those used by the abolitionists such as, producing books, leaflets, newspaper articles and plays, only these were used to support the slave trade. For example, Thomas Bellamy wrote a play in 1789 called The Benevolent Planters which promoted the lie that Africans separated in Africa were reunited through the efforts of plantation owners, thus portraying the kindness and benevolence of planters.
Issue 5 : anti abolition campaign
Analysis
• This is important as their message persuaded the public that the slave trade was beneficial to Africans by providing them with jobs and homes.
Issue 5 : anti abolition campaign
Analysis +
• However, despite this the campaign to boycott slave produced sugar products led by abolitionist Josiah Wedgwood, saw huge support involving 300,000 British people suggesting opposition to the slave trade was growing in strength.
Issue 5 : attitudes of the British government
Knowledge
• Parliament was dominated by the West Indian lobby and hugely influential figures, such as the Duke of Clarence, who was one of King George III’s sons and a member of planter society. Such powerful and prominent elites were pro slave trade, and this ensured support for abolition amongst MPs did not gain momentum
Issue 5 : attitudes of the British government
Analysis
• This is important as they were under pressure from various groups of pro slavers, such as plantation owners, MPs used delaying tactics to slow down or prevent abolition bills being passed to end the slave trade
Issue 5 : attitudes of the British government
Analysis +
• Furthermore, Wealthy slave port merchants therefore used their influence to lobby MPs who often profited from the slave trade themselves and persuaded them to always reject any attempts to pass an act to abolish the trade, often through the buying of votes, or being pressured by others.
