© HarperCollins Publishers 2010 Significance Why was Wilberforce important in ending the Slave Trade in 1807?

© HarperCollins Publishers 2010

Significance

Why was Wilberforce important in ending the Slave Trade in 1807?


Significance

Objectives

In this activity you will:

Explore the importance of Wilberforce in ending slavery

and the slave trade.

Understand the role of other abolitionists.


Significance


Wilberforce was a Member of Parliament (MP).

He delivered important speeches arguing for the

ending of the Slave Trade.

He worked closely with a religious group known

as the Quakers who also opposed the Slave

Trade.

Quakers were not allowed to be MPs.

Wilberforce was a member of the Church

of England and therefore was not prevented

from being an MP.


Significance


Not all MPs supported the

abolition of the Slave Trade.

Many MPs had businesses

connected to the Slave Trade.

They feared the abolition of

the Slave Trade would damage

their businesses.

For example, freed slaves would

be more expensive to employ

on sugar plantations in the

West Indies and this would make

sugar more expensive to buy.


Significance

In 1791, Wilberforce introduced his first bill to

Parliament, which called for the abolition of the Slave

Trade in the West Indies.

The bill was defeated, but Wilberforce continued

campaigning for abolition.

He worked with other supporters of abolition, such as:– Thomas Clarkson - Olaudah Equiano– Granville Sharp - Charles James Fox

In 1807, Parliament finally agreed to abolish the

Slave Trade in the West Indies.


Significance


Your speech will be delivered in Parliament and is designed to convince MPs to vote for your bill, which supports the abolition of the Slave Trade. Now read out your speech to the rest of the class (remember to deliver your speech with passion and emotion). Once everyone has finished reading their speeches, discuss whose speech was the most convincing and why it was so effective.

Wilberforce used speeches to gain support for abolition.

Imagine you are William Wilberforce. Write a speech that supports the abolition of the Slave Trade.


Significance


Using your textbook and other resources, find out

how the following men contributed to the abolition of

the Slave Trade:

– Thomas Clarkson– Olaudah Equiano– Granville Sharp– Charles James Fox


Significance


After 1807, slavery continued to exist in many parts of the world and within the British Empire. Wilberforce did not support the immediate freeing of all slaves. He believed that with the abolition of the Slave Trade, slavery would disappear gradually.

However, in the mid 1820s he was persuaded to support the abolition of all slaves and all slavery. This campaign was supported by slave revolts in the West Indies.

In 1831, a widespread slave revolt occurred in Jamaica. The revolt was crushed. However, the revolt persuaded the British Government, led by Earl Grey, to abolish all slaves and all slavery within the British Empire in 1833.


Significance


Do you now know how the Slave Trade

was abolished?

To what extent was William Wilberforce the

most important person responsible for the

abolition of slavery?

Documents

© HarperCollins Publishers 2010 Significance Why was Wilberforce important in ending the Slave Trade in 1807?