Project Synopsis

Driving Forces of the Abolition of Slavery and the Slave Trade in Great Britain

The end of slavery and the slave trade in Great Britain was a hard fought struggle by many abolitionists. In 1807 British abolitionists were able to end Britain’s involvement in the slave trade and by 1833 slavery was outlawed throughout the British Empire. Prior to abolition, the British were able to transform slavery into a profitable and widespread institution. Abolitionists used many different tactics to appeal to other Britons to gain support for their cause. However, historians frequently debate how exactly abolitionists appealed to Britons and what tactics had the most profound effect on the ending of slavery. The question at hand is exactly how did the abolitionists appeal to other Britons in order to accomplish their goal of eliminating slavery? This question undoubtedly has many answers which historians attempt to find. This paper attempts to uncover which tactic used by abolitionists to attack the institution of slavery was the most successful.
Historians are presently debating the many factors abolitionists used when trying to end slavery. Among those was the role of religion. Some in the historical community will suggest that bringing religion into the anti-slavery campaign effectively brought about emancipation. An argument from many scholars is that abolitionist appealed to Christians and declared slavery religiously wrong. Still, other historians maintain that economics was the most profound way abolitionists spread their influence. The economic climate was shifting and decreasing the historically enormous profits from slave labor. Historian Kevin Shillington argues in his article “British Made: Abolition and the Africa Trade”, “Industrial Revolution had indeed changed economic priorities. A free labour market was clearly cheaper in the long term, as well as providing a new class of consumer” (Shillington). Historically thinking, economics usually is a driving factor for any historical event and experts claim this is one reason why slavery ended. Another current school of thought for the success of abolition is the enlightenment of the Britons. Britons considered their nation to be progressive and many historians, such as James Walvin, believed this attitude was fuel for the anti-slavery movement. Walvin states that “When slavery had ended, British commentators preferred to revel in British abolition- not British slavery” (Walvin 158). Abolition was a progressive movement that the British deemed necessary to participate in to gain national superiority.
With all arguments considered, the one factor that is not presented adequately in historians’ theories of abolition is the appeal to the emotions and morals of Britons by abolitionists. There is no question that when speaking to the public, British abolitionists used pity for the Africans and explanations of cruel treatment as evidence for why slavery should be ended. Yet, this argument is not considered to be a major cause of why slavery and the slave trade were abolished. This paper will attempt to uncover exactly how influential emotional and moral appeals were to the public in the abolition movement. In order to accomplish this, evidence from such documents as An Abstract of the Evidence Delivered before a Select Committee of the House of Commons, in the Years 1790 and 1791; on the Part of the Petitioners for the Abolition of the Slave Trade ,published in 1792 will be investigated. This document provides evidence that was used by abolitionists to address Parliament in the late eighteenth century. This document will show the arguments that anti-slavery organizations presented to government and exactly how abolitionists gained government sympathy for their cause. The next book to be used is Thoughts and Sentiments on the Evil and Wicked Traffic of the Slavery and Commerce of the Human Species, Humbly Submitted to the Inhabitants of Great-Britain, by Ottobah Cugoano. This book, published in 1787, gives a rare account of an African abolitionist. It also answers the question how did the Africans themselves and former slaves use their stories to appeal to Britons and what effect did it have? African abolitionists were able to gain sympathy from Britons in ways that ordinary abolitionists could not. Finally evidence will also be extracted from John Newton’s book Thoughts Upon the African Slave Trade. Newton, a former slave ship owner turned abolitionist, wrote his book in 1788 to give Britons a first hand account of the horrors of slavery and the slave trade. This book shows how abolitionists were able to use the horrible experiences of those involved in the institution in order to end it. Overall, this paper intends to prove that abolitionists used emotional appeals in order to gain support for their cause. This conclusion will be reached by using the aforementioned documents as evidence. Proving that abolitionists were triumphant due to humanistic appeals to the British, would change the historical debate over abolition by adding another theory to why the movement succeeded.
The first document being used for this paper, An Abstract of the Evidence Delivered before a Select Committee of the House of Commons, in the Years 1790 and 1791; on the Part of the Petitioners for the Abolition of the Slave Trade, gives historians a clear insight of how anti-slavery arguments were presented to the British government. The document begins by summarizing accounts given to parliament to persuade the outlawing of the slave trade by many eye witnesses. Abolitionists highlighted the inhumanity and the cruelties that Africans suffered under current slave laws. Kidnapping is used as a common example of the brutalities of the trade as the document states, “they took man, woman and child, as they could catch them in their houses . . . there was no care taken to prevent the separation of children from their parents when sold” (An Abstract 23). Through this document the British abolitionists were able to portray the slave trade as an institution that terrorized families in Africa. Abolitionists choose stories that emphasized the ruthlessness of the slave trade in order to persuade parliament members to stop it. Captain Parry of the Royal Navy, gives testimony to the House of Commons that is also featured in this document. His testimony explained the cramped conditions that the Africans were forced to undergo on slave ships, “if four hundred and fifty one slaves are put into the different rooms of the Brookes, the floor are not only covered with bodies, but those bodies actually touch each other, what must have been there situation, when six hundred were stowed in them at the time” (An Abstract 51). Through his testimony Captain Parry was able stir up the members of the House of Commons’ sympathy for the Africans. His testimony included measurements of the ship in question and he noted what the maximum capacity should have been and that it was grossly violated.
Ottobah Cugoano’s book Thoughts and Sentiments on the Evil and Wicked Traffic of the Slavery and Commerce of the Human Species, Humbly Submitted to the Inhabitants of Great-Britain, by Ottobah Cugoano is the next document that will argue the use of emotion by anti-slavery campaigns to gain support for abolition. Cugoano, a former slave, wrote this book in order to explain how inhumane enslaving other humans is and that the institution needs to be eliminated immediately. Cugoano’s position as a former slave gives his narrative a great deal of importance when proves the effects humanity had on the British abolition movement. His book repeatedly mentions that “the wicked and diabolical traffic of the African slave trade” (Cugoano 97) only brings about suffering and torture for the African people. Cugoano is able to use his own experiences in order to convince Britons that the vicious institution of slavery should be abolished. His description of being boarded onto a slave ship is quite emotional, “it was the most horrible scene; there was nothing to be heard but rattling of chains, smacking of whips, and the groans and cries of our fellow men. Some would not stir from the ground, when they were lashed and beat in the most horrible manner” (Cugoano 9). The use of accounts such as this intended to attack the emotions of Britons.
Finally, the last book to be used in this paper is Thoughts Upon the African Slave Trade written by John Newton. Newton’s experience in the slave trade business on slave ships ultimately led him to becoming an abolitionist after witnessing the barbarity of the institution. His book attempts to explain to the reader how atrocious the slave system is. Newton credits himself by stating, “The experience and observation of nine years, would qualify me for being a competent witness upon this subject” (Newton 4). His book wants to inform Britons that the consequences of slavery are enormous and that he has witnessed them. In order to make this point Newton is persistent with tales of relentless brutality that the Africans face as soon as they board the slaves ships. At one point, Newton informs the reader of an instance when an African baby was thrown overboard by a ship’s captain because its mother could not keep it from crying (Newton 18). He goes on to explain how devastating the practice of enslaving Africans has been on the African population, “upon an average between the more healthy, and the more sickly voyages, and including all contingencies, One Fourth of the whole purchase may be allotted to the article of Mortality” (Newton 36). Newton’s book details much of the inhumane treatment suffered by the Africans while enslaved.
The idea of appealing to the Britons’ compassion for the Africans has specific entanglements with each current school of thought. The first theory given by historians is the idea that abolitionists used religion to appeal to Britons. Historian Michael J. Turner offers evidence that the British felt they could not have morals without compassion. Turner presents the argument of a British politician fighting to abolish slavery, “all the boast of humanity, virtue and religion has failed” (Turner 341). The next currently debated theory among historians is the effects economics had on abolition. In Seymour Drescher’s article “Abolitionist Expectations: Britain”, he notes the impact that compassion was able to have on the economics of the slave industry, “Beginning in 1791, an abolitionist consumers’ mobilization launched a mass boycott of slave grown sugar” (Drescher 48). Britons were actively attempting to reduce profits made by slave labor. Yet, Drescher dismisses this argument by saying it only had a minimal effect on the industry. The last school of thought, enlightenment of the British people, can also be introduced in the theory for humanity. The nation of Great Britain has a history of priding itself on societal progress. According to Turner, abolitionist’s believed and convinced other Britons that the “Oppression in the empire proved that the British presence was having a damaging rather than beneficial effect” (Turner 117). The British society could not progress because the tyrannical institution of slavery was hurting its efforts. The oppression exemplified through slavery is clearly evident in the previously mentioned documents.
The primary documents used for this paper show that abolitionists would frequently appeal to the emotions of Britons in order to gain their support for the abolition of slavery. Undoubtedly, the revelations of the brutalities of slavery shocked Britons and drew their attention to the subject. These sources are able to transform the Africans from commodities to people in the eyes of British citizens. Vivid descriptions of inhumane treatment are present in each of these sources proving that abolitionists wanted to appeal to the compassion of Britons. The first document used An Abstract of the Evidence Delivered before a Select Committee of the House of Commons, in the Years 1790 and 1791; on the Part of the Petitioners for the Abolition of the Slave Trade spoke of countless injustices that the Africans experienced. This evidence was presented to parliament in hopes to gain sympathy for the Africans and ultimately end slavery. Cugoano’s book also uses emotional appeals to gain support for its cause. Cugoano uses countless references to the malice he suffered and witnessed while enslaved. John Newton also strove for appealing the compassion of his fellow Britons. The accounts Newton gives in his book are expounding and depict countless acts of cruelty. The use of appealing to the emotions of the Britons and their sense of compassion, as evident in these documents, had a profound effect on the abolition of slavery and the slave trade.
The addition appealing to the Britons’ humanity in the historical debate over the British abolition of slavery alters each current school of thought. It seems that each current theory be considered a sub category for the new argument. Religion, the first discussed theory for abolition, can be intertwined with the theory of compassion for the Africans. Those who argue that religion was the driving force behind abolition can agree that these people assumed they had a moral sense to do what was right. However, this desire to do what was right according to their religion could have been inflicted on these Britons after hearing the many horrors of slavery. Once these cruelties were known people began realizing that their religious beliefs would not tolerate them. Economics is yet another school of thought for why the slave trade ended. Slave labor was indeed cheaper than other forms of labor. However, it became costly in the eighteenth century when Britons would no longer purchase commodities that were produced through slavery. These consumers would no longer buy these products out of sympathy for Africans and what they were suffering. Economics only became a factor after people were exposed to horrid accounts of slave life. Finally, the idea that slavery was successfully abolished because Great Britain was becoming a progressive nation can also be combined with the idea Britons were affected by their own humanity. Great Britain prided itself on its achievements and once slavery was exposed for the oppressive institution it was, the country wanted to be the first to abolish it.
The question intended to be answered by this paper was how were the abolitionists able to appeal to Britons in order to abolish slavery? From the evidence presented in this paper the conclusion that must be drawn is that abolitionists appealed to the emotions of Britons and their sympathy towards the Africans in order to accomplish their goal. Each one of the documents used to analyze this question describes, in detail, accounts of slavery that illuminate its horrid practices. The idea that abolitionist targeted the Britons’ sense of humanity was eventually able to create subcategories in the historical debate. However, there are many historians that may disagree with these findings. Some historians might criticize the consideration of compassion and humanity as a theory because in their opinion the other schools of though had more prevalence in the daily lives of Britons and therefore had more impact. However, this is an incorrect conclusion because one’s sense of humanity is quite an important factor that influences daily actions. From any perspective this paper provides the historical debate with another viable theory.
Having compassion for the Africans enslaved can be considered in the historical community as ultimately what ended the slave trade. Historians often neglect this motivation for abolition and the profound effect it had upon it. The abolition of slavery is just the first stepping stone towards bettering the lives of Africans in Europe. The documents used in this paper are just a few of many that created sympathy for Africans and their plight among Europeans. Great Briton set the example for many other European nations to end their involvement in slavery and the slave trade. After slavery was abolished Africans living in Great Britain were able to use humanistic appeals to gain many other rights as well. Compassion is an extraordinary catalyst for change as it was during this era.