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Y8 Student Task Booklet

Summer Term 1: April – May 2020

The Transatlantic Slave Trade

Instructions:

· You must complete the tasks for each ‘lesson’ as set by your teacher on Show My Homework.

· Make sure you include the title and date at the top of your work. Don’t forget that every title has a ? and needs to be underlined.

· Please complete tasks in your exercise book or on lined paper [kept in a safe place], so that you can show it to your teacher when you return to school.

· We advise that you spend approximately 30 minutes on each lesson. If you have not completed all two/three tasks in 30 minutes, we’d advise you skip to the quiz. People process and work at very different speeds, so you may not always complete all tasks – that is okay! Your wellbeing is more important at this time, so please don’t feel overwhelmed.

· As usual, key information is underlined or in bold to help you complete tasks.

· Answers to quick starts and fact-based tasks are included at the end of each lesson, so that you can check your own learning properly. Remember to mark and correct in green.

· The final task for each lesson is a knowledge check quiz – this is set on SMH for you. Make sure that you have completed the lesson tasks before completing the quiz. Teachers will use your quiz scores to assess your learning and whether you are completing tasks properly.

· There are lots of challenge tasks included in this booklet for those who want to know more, and a further ‘extended project’ (like a homework project) at the end. Any ‘challenge’ tasks are completely OPTIONAL.

· This is an upsetting topic. Images, sources and clips have been chosen by experienced teachers in order to give you an insight into this history, whilst also considering your age. Remember that you can contact your teacher via SMH / email if you have any questions.

· There is no expectation for you to print this document out.

Contents Page

Knowledge Organiser …………………………………………………………………………………………..……3

Lesson 1: What was African society really like in the 18th century? ……………………..……5

Lesson 2: What was the Transatlantic Slave Trade? …………………………………………...…….9

Lesson 3: What were conditions like along the Middle Passage? ………………………..…… 15

Lesson 4: What was life like for slaves living on plantations? …………………………………… 19

Lesson 5: How successful was slave resistance? ………………………..………………………..…… 22

Lesson 6: Was William Wilberforce the most important campaigner in

the Abolition of Slavery in 1833? ………………………..………………………..…………………….…… 28

Lesson 7: Were anti-slavery campaigners the most important reason for

the abolition of Slavery in Britain in 1833? ………………………..………………………..……..…… 33

Lesson 8: ‘The work of individual reformers such as William Wilberforce

was the most important reason for the abolition of Slavery in Britain in

1833?’ How far do you agree with this statement? ………………………..……………………… 38

Lesson 9: Should Britain make up for its role in slavery? …………………………………..…… 42

Lesson 10: Has slavery really been abolished?.......................................................…… 47

Challenge OPTIONAL Extended Projects:

a. How can slavery be stopped for good? ………………………………………………………. 51

b. How has the world remembered slavery? ………………………………………………….. 54

History Y8 Term 3a - The Transatlantic Slave Trade: Student Task Booklet

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Y8 Term 3a: The Transatlantic Slave Trade – key words

Term

Definition

Abolish

To bring something to an end

Abolitionist

Someone who campaigned to end the slave trade

Act

A law that has been voted on and agreed on by Parliament, then given Royal Assent.

Advanced

Developed; far ahead of progress

Auction

A public sale where goods are sold to the highest bidder.

Bankrupt

When a person or business does not have enough money to pay their debts

Branding

To mark a person or animal with a hot iron to show ownership.

Campaign

An effort to persuade people of a particular view

Cargo

Goods carried for trade

Cholera

An infectious disease and often fatal bacterial disease caused by infected water. Causes severe vomiting and diarrhoea.

Civilisation

Way of life of a particular area. ‘Civilised’ would be used to describe advanced and developed societies.

Civilising

The British belief that they were improving the daily life and culture of indigenous (native, original) people by ruling them.

Colonies

Countries within an empire, that are ruled by another country

Commodity

Something useful / valuable that is bought and sold. Usually used to refer to crops such as sugar, coffee etc.

Compensation

Money or other benefits given to make up for injury or other damage caused.

Debt bondage

When people borrow money and are forced to work to pay off this debt, then losing control over their conditions of employment. This is the most common form of slavery in the world today.

Deck hand

Someone who works on a ship

Dehumanised

To deprive (take away) someone’s human qualities

Dysentery

A nasty form of diarrhea killed many Africans on the journey.

Exploitation

When someone takes advantage of another person in a position of weakness.

Forced Labour

Any work or service which people are forced to do against their will under threat of some form of punishment

Human rights

Human rights are the inherent, natural, basic rights that belong to every person in the world, from birth until death. e.g. The right to life.

Human trafficking

People transported into a situation of exploitation (slavery) against their will.

Lynched

To hang someone (to death) without trial

Maroons

Runaway slaves who lived in the West Indies, mainly in Jamaica.

Middle passage

The voyage of slaves between Africa and America/The Caribbean (8-12 weeks).

Missionaries

Christians who believed it was their God-given duty to travel to British colonies and convert the native people to Christianity.

MP

Members of Parliament. They are elected by people in their community (constituency) to represent them in the HoC.

Parliament

The group of people who discuss and make laws

Petition

A formal written request, typically one signed by many people, appealing to authority in respect of a particular cause.

Plantation

A large farm on which crops such as coffee, sugar and tobacco were grown.

Prejudice

Judging someone before (pre) knowing them; based on no actual experience.

Profit

Money earned on top of spending/outgoings.

Propaganda

Deliberately selected information presented in order to influence people to think a certain way.

Property

Something that you own / belongs to someone; possession

Quaker

Protestant Christian group who believe in equality and social justice (fairness). Also called the Religious Society of Friends.

Quota

A fixed amount

Racism

Believing that a particular race of people are superior (better than) t other races.

Reform

To make changes to something to improve it.

Reformer

Someone who wants to make changes to something to improve it.

Rebellion

Where a group of people rise up against their ruler(s).

Revolt

To rise up against a ruler, often using violence.

Y8 Term 3a: The Transatlantic Slave Trade – key words, events and individuals

Term

Definition

Scramble

A method of buying slaves, where the price would be agreed, then the buyers would rush into the cage and grab the ‘best’ slave they can.

Scurvy

A disease caused by lack of vitamin C. Bleeding of the gums and losing teeth.

Shackles

Iron chains used to fasten the legs or hands of a slave or prisoner.

Slave

A person who is the property of another and is forced to obey them.

Trade

Buying and selling goods

Transatlantic

Going across the Atlantic ocean

Triangular Trade

The system in which slaves were traded across the Atlantic Ocean. Ships were loaded in England with goods such as guns, cloth and salt. This was taken to Africa and traded for slaves. The ships then went on a 2 month journey (Middle Passage) to the Caribbean. Here the slaves were sold to work on plantations. The ship was then loaded with sugar and cotton, to be taken back to England for profits.

Typhoid

An intestinal disease caused by contaminated water; often fatal.

West Indies

Old name for Caribbean islands. First used in 1492 by Christopher Columbus because he thought he’d sailed to India.

Individual

Description

Toussaint L’Ouverture

Toussaint L’Ouverture led a slave revolt on the French island of St Dominique from 1791. The slaves won their independence in 1804 and the island was renamed ‘Haiti’.

Olaudah Equiano

A slave who bought his freedom and published a description of life as a slave. He became an anti-slavery campaigner.

Granville Sharp

Sharp used the law courts to try and give slaves their freedom. He fought many court cases, e.g. the Zong ship. Slavery was becoming legally unacceptable. Slaves in Britain went to court to get their freedom. By the early 1800s most judges set these slaves free.

Thomas Clarkson

Clarkson (a British MP) collected evidence against slavery. He spread his message all over the country by publishing posters, pamphlets and making public speeches. He also helped to publish and spread Equiano’s diary.

William Wilberforce

Wilberforce (a British MP) campaigned against the slave trade. The first time he introduced the idea he lost the debate by 163 votes to 88 but he never gave up.

Josiah Wedgwood

Wedgwood designed a logo for the abolition campaign. It appeared on books, plates, coat buttons, wax seals, jewellery etc.

Date

Description

1492

Christopher Columbus, who worked for the Spanish, set sail across the Atlantic ocean hoping to find new routes to India and China. Instead, he found a group of islands which he called ‘West Indies’. These are now the Caribbean islands.

1562

Sir John Hawkins was given permission by Elizabeth I to begin transporting captured African slaves to the West Indies. There they were sold . He is called the “father of the slave trade”.

1619

Historians think that this was when slaves began to work on British plantations on North America.

1660

The Royal African Company was given a royal charter (allowed to trade) by Charles II. The company was run by his brother, James, the Duke of York (later James II, deposed in the Glorious Revolution of 1688). Between 1680 and 1688, the company transported 60,000 African slaves.

1781

The Zong massacre was the killing of 133 African slaves by the crew of the British slave ship Zong. They were thrown overboard so that the ship owner could claim compensation from his insurance.

1787

The Society for the Abolition of the Slave Trade was set up. Its aim was to let Africans live free from the risk of capture, and outlaw their sale and slavery. They set up petitions across the UK. e.g. in 1792 alone 519 petitions were handed to Parliament demanding the abolition of the slave trade.

1791

Toussaint L’Ouverture led a slave revolt on the French island of St Dominique. The English tried to capture the island, but they were also defeated in 1798. The slaves won their independence in 1804 and the island was renamed ‘Haiti’.

1804

‘Haiti’ won independence.

1807

The Slave Trade was abolished in England. It is estimated that Britain had transported 3.1 million slaves since 1562 and had profitted over £1 billion in today’s money.

1831

Sam Sharpe’s Christmas Rebellion in Jamaica. Although this failed and Sharpe was executed, this and other rebellions slowly convinced people that slavery was wrong. This rebellion sparked debates in Parliament.

1833

Slavery was abolished in the British Empire.

1865

Slavery was abolished in America.

Lesson 1:

What was African society really like in the 18th century?

Quick Start: Define the following key words. You may wish to refer to your work from last term on the British Empire. Answers on page 9.

1. Civilising

2. Colonies

3. Trade

4. Culture

5. Inferior

Challenge: What does it mean for a country to be civilised? Create a spider diagram or list e.g. An education system.

Task One: What is this lesson about?

The African Continent was, in many ways, advanced and developed before Europeans arrived and began to exploit people. In the West, we have developed (and been taught) a perception (view) that African civilisation before slavery was savage and barbaric, that society was not ‘civilised’. Today’s lesson will show how this is not true.

1. Watch the clip of Alek Wek describing how she has been treated because of this incorrect perception: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/34882064

2. Use your new knowledge organiser to write down definitions for the following words:

· Advanced

· Civilising

· Civilised

· Civilization

· Prejudice

Task Two: What did Europeans believe about the African continent?

Read the information and answer the questions below it in FULL sentences.

In the 18th Century (1700s), Europeans thought of Africa and its many kingdoms as a mysterious place because they knew little about it. Many Europeans believed that they were superior (better than) to Black people living in Africa and viewed their culture as ‘savage’ and uncivilised. Many believed that it was their God-given mission (missionaries) to educate African people in Western culture so that they would become more ‘civilised’. In fact, evidence that has survived from the time shows that many African kingdoms, especially in West Africa, were rich, skilled and cultured. In some areas, their societies were more advanced than in Europe, for example in medical techniques.

1. How did white Europeans view African civilisation in the 18th Century?

2. What does the evidence show about West African civilisations? Try to give at least 3 adjectives.

Challenge: What part did prejudice play in European views of pre-18th Century African society?

Task Three: What was West Africa really like?

Read through the information and sources on page 6-7. Use them to complete the table on page 8.

1. Arts and Culture:

Source A:

16th century bronze head of a King from Benin. The people of Benin have become famous for these bronze sculptures. The bronze metal would have cost a lot of money to purchase and the craftsman who made it must have been very skilled.

Source B

Photographs of artefacts found in West Africa, collected by the London Docklands Museum. These artefacts show that civilisation as rich, skilled and cultured. In particular, the woven fabric appears as if it has been made using machinery or technology of some kind.

Source C

This musical instrument from the Congo is very similar to the European versions at the time.

2. Trade

Source D: From a Y8 textbook, showing how much wealth Africans acquired through trade.

West African kingdoms had contact with other African societies as well as the Islamic empires (Arabs), who controlled parts of North Africa. Africans traded salt, spices and books with Arabic societies, often in exchange for gold and slaves. As a result of this trade, several African kingdoms accepted Islam as their religion. Other religions varied from kingdom to kingdom, but usually included respect for ancestors and the worship of some form of supreme being.

Examples of developed trading centres include:

· Gao, in Benin, which was one of the finest towns, with rice in plenty, milk and fish. The buying and selling was done with cowrie (sea snails) shells.

· Great Zimbabwe, which was the commercial centre of a powerful state and traded with many countries, including China. [Commercial = to do with making money]

· The Asante people of Southern Ghana, who traded in gold. Their craftsmen produced gold rings, ceremonial daggers and ornaments.

Source E:

Brass boxes used for storing gold and gold dust. Gold was used to purchase goods. If a specific product was made for storing gold, this suggests that there was a market for this product (people wanted to buy them), and therefore a significant number of people must have needed to store their gold and have been wealthy.

Source F:

Loango was a rich and powerful trading kingdom during the 15th and 16th centuries.

A map of Loango. The map shows that Loango was a rich and powerful trading kingdom during the 15th and 16th centuries.

3. Government and Education

Source G:


“The Kingdom of Songhay had a well-organised government, many schools and the great city of Timbuktu. It is claimed that the university there had knowledge of eye surgery and even anaesthetics”.

Anaesthetics = used during operations to numb from pain or send you to sleep. Britain didn’t develop successful anaesthetic methods until 1868, nearly 100 years later.

Source H:


“The inhabitants of Timbuktu were exceedingly rich. There were doctors, judges, priests and other learned (educated) men. There were also manuscripts and written books. There were many different languages and most people spoke more than one. There were also different writing systems and many religions”.

4. Social Order

Source I: From a Y8 textbook

Most kingdoms had a clear hierarchy (order based on importance) and used slavery, although this was different to European slavery. Most African slaves began as prisoners of war; warriors captured prisoners in battle and their prisoners were then made slaves. Their food, lodgings (where they slept) and clothing was usually the same as everyone else’s, but they would eat separately. In most kingdoms, slaves worked for the people who captured them until their own people paid to free them. In some cases, they could work to buy their freedom. Other slaves were sold to Arab slave dealer, who took them back across the desert and sold them on. But the Islamic religion taught kindness to slaves and also taught that it was a good deed to let them go. Some slaves also became slaves as a punishment for certain crimes, but this was usually for a set number of years so temporary.

Aspect of society

What do the sources show? Describe the sources

What can you infer (guess) about African civilisation? Try to explain how and why these societies were advanced and developed.

Arts and Culture

The people of Benin were famous for….

Musical instruments were similar to….

These artefacts show that African societies were rich and skilled because…..

Trade

Africans traded with…

Examples of developed trading areas include…..

Brass boxes were produced for….

We can infer that African society had advanced trading systems that made them very…..

Government and Education

The Kingdom of Songhay had…

Some universities had knowledge of….

People living in Timbuktu were…..

These sources suggest that African societies were well educated and advanced in medicine because…..

Social Order

Most kingdoms has a clear….

The king of Ghana was very….

Most kingdoms used slavery but they usually began as p………

Although slavery existed in Africa too, African society appears to have treated slaves more humanely, for example….

Challenges:

1. How has your view of African society changed before Europeans arrived? Write an explanation of how your view has changed. Word limit = 27 words.

2. Write two – three paragraphs to explain how advanced African society in fact was before Europeans arrived. Aim to write about AT LEAST two areas from your table. Include:

· The skills and crafts demonstrated by the artefacts.

· How developed and advanced the continent was

For each point try to say:

· Examples of artefacts / information

· What this suggests about Africa

· How this shows it was civilised / that Western ideas of Africa being uncivilised is wrong

e.g. In arts and culture, African societies were advanced. Artefacts found include bronze sculptures and stringed musical instruments. This suggests that people in Africa at the time were very skilled craftsmen and women. This shows that peoples’ perceptions (=ideas) of Africans being uneducated and unskilled is wrong because…….

Final Task: Complete the quiz on SMH

Quick Start Answers: Make sure you tick / correct your answers in GREEN PEN as normal.

1. Civilising = The British belief that they were improving the daily life and culture of indigenous (native, original) people by ruling them.

2. Colonies = Countries within an empire, that are ruled by another country

3. Trade = Buying and selling goods.

4. Culture = The beliefs, values and attitudes, shared by a group of people living in a community or a country.

5. Inferior = Believing that someone is weaker than you. Opposite of superior.

Challenge: What does it mean for a country to be civilised? Create a spider diagram or list e.g. An education system.

· System of government

· System of education

· Literate (most people can read and write)

· Human rights are respected

· Democracy

· Skilled

· Technology

· Advanced medicine

· Transport systems

· Trading and wealth

Lesson Two:

What was the Transatlantic Slave Trade?

Quick Start: Use the following five words to describe Africa in the 18th Century:

Advanced, skilled, wealthy, civilisation, educated.

Challenge: What misconceptions does Western society have about the African continent in the 18th Century?

Answers on page 14

Task One: What was the Transatlantic Slave Trade?

Read the information below then complete the two tasks:

Between the 16th and 19th centuries, European merchants transported an estimated 12.5 million Africans across the Atlantic to work in slavery in the Americas. Unknown millions died as a result. The slave trade is when human beings, instead of goods, are traded. The idea of slavery is a very old one. The Egyptians, for example, used slaves to build the pyramids and the Romans forced slaves to fight in gladiator arenas. Slavery is when someone is captured, forced to work and treated as someone’s property. The British Slave Trade was based on the ‘slave triangle’, in which slaves were traded across the Atlantic Ocean:

A. Ships were loaded in England with goods such as alcohol, guns, cloth and salt. This was taken to Africa and traded with local rulers for their slaves (usually prisoners of war from other tribes). Sometimes Europeans would pay local men to kidnap slaves for them.

B. The ships then went on an 8-2 week journey known as the Middle Passage to the West Indies or colonies in North America. They suffered terrible conditions and 1 in 4 died during the journey. Slaves were chained up for the entire journey, meaning that diseases spread quickly and easily from slave to slave. If they survived to reach the West Indies, the slaves were sold at auctions, then put to work in plantations (a large farm on which crops such as coffee, sugar and tobacco were grown).

C. The ship was then loaded with cash crops such as sugar and cotton, to be taken back to England to be sold for huge profits. These goods were luxuries, so wealthy people would pay lots of money for them.

You can also see how the ‘triangular trade’ worked here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/clips/zspk2hv

Tasks:

1) Use the information and or your knowledge organiser to define the following new key words: Cargo, Middle passage, Plantation, Profit, Slave, Transatlantic, West Indies

2) Use what you’ve read and the diagram below to label your own diagram (the blank black and white one) of the Triangular Slave Trade. You must include arrows, key words and labels to show what was traded at each stage.

Task Two: How did Britain get involved in and benefit from the Slave Trade?

Read the information below, then answer the following questions. Phrases are underlined to help you.

1. How did the slave trade begin?

2. How and when did Britain become involved in the slave trade?

3. What did the Royal African Company do and how was it connected to the British monarchy?

4. How many slaves were involved in Britain’s slave trade? Give dates and figures.

5. How much money did Britain make from the slave trade? Give dates and figures.

6. Which British cities benefitted most from the slave trade and why?

7. List three groups of people who benefitted from the British slave trade and describe briefly how they benefited.

Challenge: Watch any of the clips or information pages. Produce a leaflet (or don’t – just read about it for your own interest!) explaining the impact and legacy of the slave trade on Britain’s economy and landscape, both then and now.

· Britain’s forgotten slave traders BBC: https://www.bbc.co.uk/teach/class-clips-video/history-ks3-ks4-britains-forgotten-slave-owners-david-olusoga-social-economic-impact/zrpw2sg

· The wealth created by the slave trade in Britain BBC: https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/clips/zcnnvcw

· Origins of the Atlantic Slave Trade BBC: https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/clips/zdvvr82

· TED-Ed Contextualising The Atlantic Slave Trade: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3NXC4Q_4JVg

· The African slave trade BBC: https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/clips/znjjmp3

· BBC Bitesize information on the slave trade: https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/zqv7hyc/revision/1

· London Docklands Museum: https://www.museumoflondon.org.uk/museum-london-docklands/permanent-galleries/london-sugar-slavery

· The International Museum of Slavery (Liverpool): https://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/international-slavery-museum

How did the slave trade begin?

In 1492, Christopher Columbus, who worked for the Spanish, set sail across the Atlantic Ocean hoping to find new routes to India and China. Instead, he found a group of islands which he called ‘West Indies’. These are now correctly called the Caribbean islands.

As a result of Columbus’s discovery, many Europeans left Europe to settle in the newly discovered continents of North and South America and to make their fortune. Many were farmers who grew crops that were very popular in Europe, such as cotton, tobacco, sugar and coffee; they were sold for a very high price.

To begin with, farmers forced the native people already living there to grow food, hunt animals, dig for gold and farm for them. Some ran away and some died from disease and cruelty, and soon there were too few slaves left! By the mid-1500s, Europeans began to look to Africa to find new sources of slavery. This is how ‘the slave triangle’ developed.

How did Britain become involved in the slave trade?

Early in the 1500s, Spain and Portugal had already begun trading in slaves, but England saw the potential economic opportunities, and quickly established sugar and cotton plantations in the colonies. Britain had already become a very powerful trading nation.

In 1562, Sir John Hawkins became England’s first slave trader when he was given permission by Elizabeth I to begin transporting captured African slaves to the West Indies. On his first journey, he captured 300 slaves from Sierra Leone on the West Coast of Africa, transported them in a ship called ‘Jesus’, and sold them in the West Indies. He repeated the journey many times and soon other traders copied him. He is often called the “father of the slave trade”.

During the 1600s, thousands of people left Britain to settle in North and South America and set up their own cotton and tobacco farms. Historians think that slaves from Africa began to work on British plantations in Virginia (Britain’s first North American colony) from 1619.

Lots of people made huge profits from the slave trade, including the monarchy. Queen Elizabeth I, for example, was a business partner of John Hawkins. In 1660, Charles II (‘The Merry Monarch’) became a partner of The Royal African Company. He gave the company a royal charter (permission to trade slaves) and made his brother, James, the Duke of York (later James II, deposed in the Glorious Revolution of 1688) its owner. Between 1680 and 1688, the company transported 60,000 African slaves. Many slaves were branded with the letters DY, to stand for ‘Duke of York’, the company’s owner.

How profitable was Britain’s slave trade?

Source A – Harewood House

Harewood house was built near Leeds in 1771 for a wealthy plantation owner. The family are thought to have invested £41,200 (equivalent to about £4.5 million) in slaving between 1736 and 1744.

Portugal and Britain were the two most ‘successful’ slave-trading countries accounting for about 70% of all Africans transported to the Americas. It is estimated that Britain transported 3.1 million Africans (of whom 2.7 million arrived) to the British colonies in the Caribbean, North and South America and to other countries between 1562 and 1807. Ships from Liverpool alone are estimated to have carried 1.5 million slaves on 5000 voyages. By late 1700s Britain was transporting 300,000 slaves a year (800 slaves a day every day of the year).

By the 1790s ¼ of Britain’s income came from the slave trade in the West Indies. Britain made £1,405,102 from the sugar trade in 1781 (equivalent to £126,000,000 today) alone. Between 1600 and 1807, Britain made an estimated £12million (over £1 billion today). This money helped to make Britain one of the world’s richest and most powerful nations. It also funded the Industrial Revolution.

Many of the fine buildings in Liverpool, Bristol and London were built from the profits from slavery. This is because the slave trade was carried out from many British ports, the three most important ports being London (1660-1720s), Bristol (1720s-1740s) and Liverpool (1740s-1807), which became extremely wealthy. Entire streets and buildings in many of these areas still stand from the profits of slavery. A well-known British actor, George F Cooke, once said ‘every brick in the city of Liverpool is cemented with the blood of a slave’. In fact, 20 of London’s mayors between 1787 and 1807 were slave traders.

In some cities, they have renamed streets and houses because they do not want to be associated with the profits from slavery e.g. In Glasgow and Bristol, but less so in Liverpool. Streets in Liverpool named after the slave owners who built the houses on them include ‘Penny Lane’. This is the street made famous in song by The Beatles was actually named after a Liverpool slave ship owner called James Penny. He fought against campaigners trying to ban slavery.

Source B – AN article from the Liverpool Echo in 2007 (a newspaper)

In Bristol, many streets and buildings are named after Edward Colston, who left his fortune to charity when he died in 1721. However, he had made this fortune in the slave trade. Campaigners today are trying to get these streets and buildings renamed. His statue in the centre of Bristol has also been vandalised.

You can look up streets and buildings built from the profits from slavery here:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/teach/how-did%C2%A0slave-owners-shape-britain/z67dbdm

https://www.ucl.ac.uk/lbs/search/

https://www.ucl.ac.uk/lbs/maps/

Who benefitted from the slave trade:

Ship owners – Business men who built and owned ships made a fortune by hiring out their ships to sailors looking to trade.

The banking industry – Bankers, investors and insurance businesses all made a huge profit from slavery. Bankers lent money to slave traders and made huge profits in interest. Investors would also gain a cut of the profits. The insurance business flourished in port towns at this time too, because traders wanted to insure their ships and their ‘cargo’ (the slaves). Britain’s oldest insurance company, ‘Lloyds of London’, insured some slave ships. Barclays banks was also started by slave traders.

Plantation Owners - Plantation owners, owned large pieces of land which farmed different crops. Plantation owners grew ‘cash’ crops of sugar, tobacco, coffee, spices and cotton for sale back in Europe which would be worked on by the slaves. By the constant supply of ‘free’ labour and good trading links plantation owners lived very lavish lifestyles, with very little upset to deal with.

African Tribal Leaders - African Tribe Leaders captured slaves through war between rival communities over land. They would then trade their captures for weaponry and gunpowder to increase their power in their native land. They also expanded national trade to trading with European countries to increase their wealth.

Consumers – Tobacco, cotton, sugar and tea were all luxury items. If you could afford sugar in your tea, you were a member of high society and therefore these goods were in high demand. This is why slavery lasted for so long; people continued to demand these goods, so there was always a profit to be made.

Culture – The world-famous National Gallery in London received its first major donation of paintings from a man who had made a fortune (and therefore bought all of these paintings with) from the slave trade. These paintings are still housed in the gallery.



Use the following five words to describe Africa in the 18th Century:

Before Europeans arrived on the African continent, African civilisation was advanced in many ways, for example in medicine. Artefacts show that societies were very skilled and well-educated, and trading systems show how wealthy many kingdoms were.

Challenge: What misconceptions does Western society have about the African continent in the 18th Century?

Many Europeans believed that African society was ‘uncivilised’ and ‘backwards’ and therefore needed Europeans’ help to become a better society. This misconception (wrong view) still continues today, where people think that the African continent was not as advanced as Europe’s, before Europeans arrived. We now know that this is not true. In some ways, African societies were more advanced than Europe’s; they were more advanced in some medical techniques, had vast trade networks, were very skilled and wealthy.

Lesson 3:

What were conditions like along the Middle Passage?

Quick Start: Complete the description of triangular trade using the key words below.

Answers on page 18

The triangular slave trade was the system in which slaves were traded across the _______________ Ocean. Ships were loaded in England with goods such as guns, cloth and salt. This was taken to West Africa and traded with local rulers for _____________. The ships then went on a 2-month journey known as the _______________ to the _________________ or North American colonies. Here the slaves were sold to work on farms called ____________________. The ship was then loaded with cash crops such as coffee, tobacco and cotton, to be taken back to Britain to be sold for huge profits.

Middle Passage

Plantations

West Indies

Atlantic

slaves

Challenge: Who benefitted from the slave trade? Make a list.

Task One: What was the journey like on board a slave ship?

Read the information and sources below, then answer the questions. Use what’s underlined to help.

1. What were conditions like on slave ships? Describe the conditions.

2. Who was Olaudah Equiano and what did he do that was significant in the campaign against slavery.

3. Use source A to describe how slaves lived on board. Try to give specific details and measurements.

4. In source B, James Penny suggests that slaves are kept in clean conditions, unchained and taken care of by doctors. Why do you think he said this, despite it being almost certainly false?

4. How does Equiano’s account of the journey (source C) differ from James Penny’s? Equiano’s account is very different to James Penny’s description because he says that …. [give quotes]. This suggests that conditions on the slave ships were….

5. Why do you think Thomas Clarkson published the Brookes ship plan as a poster? (source D)

It has been estimated that there were around 50,000 slave trade journeys from Africa to North and South America and the West Indies between the 16th century (1500s) and the 19th century (1800s). At least 12.5 million African men, women and children made a trip of around 4000 miles that lasted 40 to 70 days.

Slave ships were generally very overcrowded, and the men, women and children were kept in appalling conditions. Diseases spread quickly, such as typhoid and diphtheria (a nasty form of diarrhoea). Any slaves who died on board, or were near death, were thrown overboard. Others died of heatstroke or smallpox, or of starvation by refusing to eat. Scurvy was also common; this is a disease caused by a lack of vitamin C. Slaves were given food, but this was of poor quality. Because slave traders wanted their slaves to be in a physically good condition in order to sell them at auction, slaves were taken up on deck for exercise. Some slaves committed suicide, throwing themselves overboard. Around 20-25% of slaves died during this journey.

Slave ship owners kept very detailed records of their ships and journeys, mainly for insurance purposes, so we have some evidence about the Middle Passage. An ex-slave called Olaudah Equiano, who bought his freedom, also wrote about his capture and life as a slave in an autobiography called, The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano. With the help of Thomas Clarkson, it was published in 1789, and used as evidence in parliament for why slavery should be abolished (banned). Notice how Equiano is dressed in ‘British’ clothing on the front cover and holding a bible, to make upper class men (MPs) more likely to read it.

Source B – James Penny (who bought Penny Lane), a ship owner giving evidence to Parliament about conditions on slave ships in 1789. He was trying to stop Parliament from banning slavery, as this would damage his business and profits! He had never been on a journey through the Middle Passage himself.

“The slaves are comfortably kept in rooms which are washed out every day. The men are chained when they arrive but are unchained for the journey if they seem calm. If the weather is good all the slaves are brought on deck every day. If it is hot, they are given some cordial [drink]. The doctor makes sure they do not catch scurvy”.

Source A - A plan of a slave ship from a Y8 Textbook ‘A life of Slavery’.

Source D – A propaganda campaign poster showing a plan of the inside of the slave ship Brookes. The Brookes carried 609 slaves (351 men, 127 women, 90 boys, and 41 girls) crammed into its decks. This was published in 1789 by Thomas Clarkson, a campaigner trying to persuade the British government to abolish (ban) slavery by raising the public’s awareness of the cruelty of slavery. Olaudah Equiano also write to many British newspapers asking them to print the poster.

Source C – An extract from the autobiography of Olaudah Equiano’s The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, published in 1789. In his autobiography, he describes how he was kidnapped, transported across the Atlantic and sold as a slave. Equiano’s capture was unusual for the time; it was fairly unusual for children to be taken as slaves as they were not strong enough to survive the voyage and they did not sell well either. However, would it really matter that Equiano may not have actually been transported on a slave ship, and instead just used information from other tales he heard from other slaves?

Task Two: What happened when the slaves arrived?

When slaves arrived in the Americas, they were ‘prepared’ for an auction or scramble. They were usually washed with water and rubbed with oil to make them look healthier, then gunpowder or hot tar rubbed into any open wounds to seal them temporarily (this is extremely painful). They were also given brutal remedies for conditions such as diarrhoea.

An auction is a sale of an item to the highest bidder. Slaves were paraded in front of buyers like cattle, and buyers would bid for them. Families were usually split up.

At a scramble, buyers would pay the trader an agreed amount in advance and be given a ticket for the scramble. When a bell sounded, buyers would rush into the cage and grab the slaves they wanted.

Watch the clip and answer the True or False activity below. If false, give the correct answer:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/clips/zcrxfg8

Answers on page 18.

1. It was very important for the ship captains to present the slaves in as good of a condition as possible for prospective buyers.

· True

· False

2. Any open wounds were cleaned with antiseptic in order to make people look healthy.

· True

· False

3. At a normal auction, the healthiest captives went to the lowest bidder.

· True

· False

4. Captives who were unsold or frail were often put into a scramble auction.

· True

· False


Challenge: Read the sources below. They are all newspaper advertisements for slave auctions. You can also watch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2lwAd0qrWo. Then answer the following questions.

1) How are human beings being dehumanised in these sources? Refer to give specific words and images.

2) Why do the adverts emphasise good health?

3) What qualities were considered advantages in a slave?

Please remember that we do not use the ‘N’ word – it is used here in a source from the time; we no longer EVER use this word in writing or out loud because this is racist.


The triangular slave trade was the system in which slaves were traded across the Atlantic Ocean. Ships were loaded in England with goods such as guns, cloth and salt. This was taken to West Africa and traded with local rulers for slaves. The ships then went on a 2-month journey known as the Middle Passage to the West Indies or North American colonies. Here the slaves were sold to work on farms called Plantations. The ship was then loaded with cash crops such as coffee, tobacco and cotton, to be taken back to Britain to be sold for huge profits.

Challenge: Who benefitted from the slave trade? Make a list.

· Ship owners – by hiring out their ships to sailors looking to trade.

· The banking industry – Bankers, insurers and investors. E.g. Britain’s oldest insurance company, ‘Lloyds of London’ and Barclays bank.

· Plantation Owners - grew ‘cash’ crops of sugar, tobacco, coffee, spices and cotton.

· African Tribal Leaders - They would then trade their captures for weaponry and gunpowder.

· Consumers – Tobacco, cotton, sugar and tea were all luxury items.

Task two answers:

1. It was very important for the ship captains to present the slaves in as good of a condition as possible for prospective buyers.

· True

· False

2. Any open wounds were cleaned with antiseptic HOT TAR in order to make people look healthy.

· True

· False

3. At a normal auction, the healthiest captives went to the lowest HIGHEST bidder.

· True

· False

4. Captives who were unsold or frail were often put into a scramble auction.

· True

· False

Lesson 4:

What was life like for slaves living on plantations?

Quick Start: Match the key words to their definition below.

Plantation


Auction


Scramble


Dehumanised


Property


Challenge: How were slaves dehumanised during these auctions/scrambles?

Answers on page 21.

Task One:

Watch the trailer for 12 Years a Slave https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z02Ie8wKKRg

What can you learn about life on plantations from this interpretation? Make a list of everything you see / hear in the clip. E.g. Slaves sang songs together to keep their spirits up.

Task Two:

Read the information sheet on page 20 below and answer the questions below.

1. List two ways in which slaves were made the personal property of their owner. They were given…. Then, like cattle, there were …….

2. What work did slaves do on plantations? They were forced to…..

3. What work did small children do in the fields? Three- and four-year olds would….

4. What was the average life expectancy for a slave and why? The average life expectancy of a slave was….. This is because…

5. What legal rights were taken away from slaves (what could they not do?)? Slaves weren’t allowed to….

6. How were slaves punished for disobedience or running away? Use source F. Ordinary punishments included….

Challenge: “Fear of punishment prevented slaves from running away” How far do you agree with this statement?



Plantation


Auction


Scramble


Dehumanised


Property


Challenge: How were slaves dehumanised during these auctions/scrambles?

· Treated as property or ‘cargo’ to buy and sell

· Treated like animals

· Split up from their families

· Shackled (tied up)

· Not cared for e.g. hot tar and gunpowder in wounds, even though this was very painful.

· Cruelty

· Some people were treated as more ‘valuable’ than others and sold for a higher price.

Lesson 5:

How successful was slave resistance?

Quick Start: Answer the questions below.

1. What was a plantation?

2. Who was Olaudah Equiano?

3. List three aspects of plantation life.

Challenge: “Fear of punishment prevented slaves from running away” How far do you agree with this statement?

Answers on page 26

Task One: How did slaves resist?

Punishments made it very difficult for slaves to protest against what was happening to them, but this didn’t stop some slaves starting rebellions against their harsh lives. The most famous revolts (rising up against authority, usually with violence) were in Antigua in 1736, Jamaica in 1760 and 1831, Saint Domingue (now Haiti) in 1791 and Barbados in 1816. However, some slaves rebelled in less violent ways, sometimes called ‘passive resistance’.

1. Copy down a definition of passive resistance.

passive resistance: peacefully refusing to co-operate or comply with specific commands or laws; sabotage (deliberate disruption).

2. The images on the right show methods of resistance used by slaves. Work out and write down what you think each image represents – how did they resist slavery?

Answers on page 26

Task Two: How successful were slave revolts?

Most revolts were not very successful in terms of achieving the aim of breaking free and overthrowing their masters. However, these revolts were all very successful in raising awareness of the conditions in which slaves lived. Most people in Britain believe that African people were inferior and liked slavery, because it taught them the Western way of life. However, slave revolts proved that this was not the case; slowly people in Britain began to realise that slavery was a bad thing! Moreover, slave revolts were very costly to the slave owners, so could be considered a success in undermining (ruining) the slave trade.

Read the information about each rebellion / method. Then complete at least three rows of the table.

Rebellion or method

Who were they? What happened?

How successful was this rebellion? Give a rating /10 then explain.

Maroons 1655-1833

The maroons were….who lived….

In 1739…. But in 1795…..

/10. They created..….

However, in 1795….

Tacky’s War, Jamaica 1760

In April 1760….

It took…..

/10 400 slaves were…. But it terrified …. and gave hope to….

Toussaint L’Ouverture,

San-Domingue (now Haiti) 1791

News of…. In 1791…. A new leader called…. By 1800…. By 1804….

/10 Although it took a number of years, by 1804, the slaves had…..

Bussa’s Rebelllion, Barbados 1816

In 1816, Bussa led…. The rebels eventually… But within three days…

/10 The rebellion was crushed and a total of…. But….

The Maroons of Jamaica

Slaves ran away for obvious reasons but most often because they were going to be sold or separated. When slaves ran away, their owners would offer large sums of money for their return, making it even more difficult for the escaped slaves to find safe places to hide. If a slave was caught trying to escape, the punishment could be very severe.

There was one successful group of runaway slaves called ‘Maroons’. They ran away from their Spanish-owned plantations when the British took the Caribbean island of Jamaica from Spain in 1655. They fled to the mountainous areas of Jamaica, where it was difficult for their owners to follow and catch them, and created independent communities as free men and women. The word maroon comes from the Spanish word ‘cimarrones‘, which meant ‘mountaineers’.

As the population of slaves grew in Jamaica, there were more rebellions by the slaves. Some of the rebel slaves disappeared into the mountains and joined the Maroon communities. As the Maroon population grew, the Jamaican government (run by Britain) decided to defeat the Maroons once and for all. The First Maroon War began in 1728. In 1739, the British and the Maroons made peace. The freedom of the Maroons was recognised and their land was given to them. In return they would support the British government in Jamaica against foreign invasion and would help capture rebel slaves and runaways from the plantations and return them to their owners.

Not all maroon communities stuck to this agreement and this started the Second Maroon War in 1795. After five months of fighting, the undefeated Maroons were offered an agreement for peace. When they surrendered their arms, the Governor cheated on the peace agreement offered. The Maroons were arrested and, against the agreement they had accepted, were transported off the island to Nova Scotia, on the east coast of North America, and later went to Sierra Leone, West Africa.

Tacky’s War, Jamaica 1760

In 1760, a slave named Tacky led a rebellion in Jamaica. On the evening of Easter Sunday, Tacky and his men took four barrels of gunpowder and forty muskets from the local port. They then went to the beach and cut the weights from the fishing nets to use them as bullets. On Easter Monday, April 1760, hundreds of armed slaves joined the rebellion in Jamaica, taking over the plantations and setting fire to the buildings.

“Tacky’s War” lasted from April to September 1760. It took six months for the British to regain control. Tacky was eventually caught and shot. His head was cut off and taken to Spanish Town, where it was stuck on a pole by the roadside. Millions of pounds of damage was done and 400 slaves were executed. As one of the first major slave revolts, this terrified plantation owners and Europeans. Rumours of this rebellion did spread to slaves in other Caribbean islands, giving them hope. However, punishments for any act of resistance became crueller as a result of this rebellion. Slave masters feared for their lives and felt they needed to make examples of any rebels in order to prevent another revolt.

Toussaint L’Ouverture, San-Domingue (now Haiti) 1791-1804

San-Domingue was a French-controlled island, known for its particularly brutal regime where slaves were worked to death. In 1789, the French rebelled against their king in the name of ‘liberty, equality and fraternity [brotherhood]’. News of the French Revolution quickly spread to the island; it gave hope to the slaves and terrified the owners.

The first revolt in San-Domingue began in 1791, where slaves killed their masters and burned down plantations for nearly a month. Knowing that they would not get support from their new government in France, the slave owners turned to the enemy of the French, Britain, for help. The British sent troops to regain control.

However, a new leader called Toussaint L’Ouverture emerged. He led the slaves to victory over the British and had succeeded in overthrowing them by 1800. In 1801, the slaves renamed San-Domingue, Haiti. The French (now run by an authoritarian dictator, Napoleon) tried to invade Haiti to regain control. They were briefly successful and captured L’Ouverture, who died in prison in 1803. Not surprisingly, now that the French had tried to regain the island, Britain did the exact opposite and supported the slaves against the French (the slaves they had previously fought against!). The French did not succeed for long and the slaves overthrew them. In 1804, Haiti was declared an independent country.

In Britain, Toussaint L’Ouverture was portrayed as a hero and defender of human rights (even though Britain continued to trade slaves at this time). A London Newspaper said: “Toussaint … shows that the character of men is independent of color.’

Bussa’s Rebelllion, Barbados 1816

Bussa was a slave who had risen to the trusted position of general manager on a plantation in Barbados, which suggests that he was a skilled individual and probably an older man.

On Sunday, 14th April, 1816 (Easter Sunday), Bussa led a rebellion involving over 400 slaves in plantations scattered around Barbados. He had spread propaganda and rumours, that slave owners were opposing British efforts to have them freed.

The rebels eventually took over half the island, but within three days the revolt was crushed by the local militia (army) and the West India Regiment. A total of 111 slaves and four ‘free people of colour' (people of mixed heritage) were executed for starting the rebellion. Although the rebels had lost the battle, the struggle against slavery continued in Barbados, and it became hard to control continuing revolts. Bussa became a symbol of the right to live in freedom.


Challenge:

Campaigners often use logos to raise public awareness and gain mass support from the public for their cause.

The Abolition Society’s seal (logo) for their campaign against slavery (shown on the right) was designed by pottery designer Josiah Wedgwood and used by campaigners to raise awareness. It was placed on plates, cups, cutlery, in newspapers, etc, to remind people of slavery. The image depicts an African man kneeling in supplication under the slogan 'Am I not a man and a brother?'.

However, the logo is unsettling because it suggests that slaves did not try to resist themselves and instead were reliant on (needed) British campaigners to free them. The African slave is presented as passive rather than rebellious and is therefore non-threatening. This appealed to Christians in Britain who still believed that African people were inferior and in need of their Christian help. The pose also evokes (suggests) prayer and resonates with those who felt that slavery went against Christian values.

The Wedgwood seal ignores the fact that some Africans were actively engaged in challenging the system of slavery through rebellions, personal acts of resistance and as abolitionists. Instead, it depicts an image which was likely to engage the maximum number of white, British people in the campaign. This approach was effective, but serves to reinforce negative stereotypes of Africans as helpless and dependent, as indeed do some fundraising campaigns today (think of the adverts you see on TV).

The use of branding, marketing and merchandising is commonplace today and includes anything from T-shirts to credit cards. The 'Make Poverty History' wristbands, AIDS ribbons, the Royal British Legion's Poppy Appeal and Comic Relief's Red Nose Day are all examples of contemporary campaigns which have raised public awareness and gained mass support from the public in this way.

1. Why was Josiah Wedgewood’s logo so effective in gaining mass support, despite inaccurately representing slaves? Think about the audience of its message.

2. “Africans were the passive victims of slavery, who could only wait for people in Britain to rescue them”. Why is this view incorrect?

3. Can you think of any fundraising campaigns today which reinforce negative stereotypes of Africans as helpless and dependent?


1. What was a plantation? A large farm on which crops such as coffee, sugar and tobacco were grown

2. Who was Olaudah Equiano? A slave who bought his freedom and published a description of life as a slave. He became an anti-slavery campaigner.

3. List three aspects of plantation life. Slaves were branded and renamed, 15-16 hours’ work a day, harsh punishments including whipping and beating, no legal rights.

Challenge: “Fear of punishment prevented slaves from running away” How far do you agree with this statement? It would prevent some slaves, but not all, as there is lots of evidence of resistance.

Task One Answers:

Lesson 6:

Was William Wilberforce the most important campaigner in the Abolition of Slavery in 1833?

Quick Start: Match the slave rebellion to the description. Answers on page 32.

Passive resistance

These were slaves who ran away to the mountains in Jamaica from 1655 and set up their own independent communities.

The ‘Maroons’ of Jamaica.

An Easter rebellion in 1760 that ended in 400 executions but gave hope to other slaves.

Tacky’s War, Jamaica

An Easter rebellion in 1816 led by a slave called Bussa. It was crushed within 3 days and ended in 114 executions.

The San-Domingue (now Haiti) rebellion.

Resistance methods aimed to sabotage and deliberately disrupt the slave trade, undermining profit. Slaves broke tools, machinery, worked more slowly and poisoned their owners.

Bussa’s Rebelllion, Barbados

A revolt started in in 1791 and inspired by the French Revolution. Toussaint L’Ouverture led the later revolts and by 1804, Haiti was declared an independent country.

Challenge: Why were slave revolts a success, even if they didn’t succeed in overthrowing their masters at the time?

Task One: When was slavery abolished?

Read the information below and answer the following questions in full sentences:

1) What does ‘abolish’ mean?

2) What did the Slave Trade Act of 1807 abolish?

3) What did the Slavery Abolition Act of 1833 abolish?

Challenge: Which of the three reasons for the abolition of slavery below do you think was most important to the MPs in Parliament passing the law? Remember that most MPs were rich upper class / businessmen at this time. The Middle Class gained the vote in 1832, just before the 1833 Act.

In 1807, the British Parliament abolished the slave trade in the British Empire. ‘Abolished’ means to bring something to an end. This law, called the Slave Trade Act of 1807, meant that it was now illegal to buy and sell slaves. However, under this law, people could still keep the slave they already owned. It wasn’t until much later that Parliament banned slave ownership entirely, by passing the Slavery Abolition Act of 1833.

Over the next three lessons, you will find out how and why Parliament were persuaded to ban slave ownership in 1833:

1. Campaigners – People who wanted reform (change) and campaigned in Britain to abolish slavery (called abolitionists).

2. The actions of the slaves themselves – Slave revolts helped to undermine the profits of the trade and show that slavery was wrong.

3. Economic reasons – slavery was becoming less profitable and slave owners were bankrupt.

In this lesson, you will learn about the campaigners.

Task Two: Why has William Wilberforce received most of the credit for the abolition of slavery?

Answer the question in a full sentence:

4) Both of these men campaigned to end slavery. Whose campaign do you think was more successful and why, based on the images of their memorials?

William Wilberforce tried and failed to persuade parliament to abolish the Slave Trade for 20 years.

Wilberforce has received much of the credit for the abolition of the Slave Trade, but is this the correct view?

Today, most historians see the long struggle to end the slave trade as much more complex than simply being the work of Wilberforce alone.

Challenge: Watch either of the clips below and explain your impressions of Wilberforce and his importance?

Amazing Grace Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqlcjI85gaY

BBC bitesize clip https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/clips/zgppyrd

One impression I got about William Wilberforce is…I can tell this from…Also, Wilberforce comes across as…I can tell this from…

Task Three: Which campaigner made the greatest contribution?

Read the information below on each of the main campaigners, then complete at least 3 rows of the table.

Name of individual

What they did (Evidence)

Aim to find 1-2 ways your individual fought against slavery

How it helped the fight to end slavery

(Explanation)

Did it lead to a particular law change? Which one?

Did it affect people’s attitudes/gain support?

William Wilberforce

From 1780, William Wilberforce was an ………

He was persuaded to become a spokesperson by …

He regularly gave speeches about ending slavery in Parliament for …………years.

His speeches helped to end slavery by keeping the issue alive in the minds of ……...

His speeches, petitions and leaflets also helped to raise …..

Thomas Clarkson

From 1785, Clarkson decided….

In 1787…. He gathered….

He published…… such as….

He also…..

Clarkson’s evidence helped to persuade….

His posters and petitions helped to raise….

Olaudah Equiano

Equiano was….

In 1786 he founded….

In 1789 he published….

He travelled….

His book was used by….

His book helped to show…

Granville Sharp

Sharp was a …. who used…..

He eventually…..

He was friends with….and formed…..

He persuaded….

His court victories put many slave owners off…

He shows that….

He persuaded other….

Josiah Wedgewood

Wedgewood was a ….

He designed…..

The design showed ….

The slogan said….

The logo helped to raise….because……

The logo reinforced ……which appealed to……

William Wilberforce (1759 - 1833)

In 1780, William Wilberforce joined Parliament as an MP. His Christian faith made him interested in the idea that all men are equal before God. He was persuaded by both Clarkson and Sharp to become a spokesperson for the anti-Slavery movement.

For 18 years he regularly gave speeches about ending slavery in Parliament. The first time he introduced the idea he lost the debate by 163 votes to 88 but he never gave up. He kept the issue alive in the minds of politicians. He got his Christian group to support him along with other abolitionists who raised public awareness of the cause with leaflets, books and petitions.

Keywords:

Parliament: The place where laws are made

Spokesperson: Someone who speaks on behalf of other people

Abolitionists: People who wanted to see the slavery end

Petitions: Asking for something to change by collecting the signatures of many people to show the change is wanted

Act: A law passed by Parliament

Thomas Clarkson (1760-1846)

In 1779, Thomas Clarkson went to Cambridge University where he won a Latin essay competition on whether it was right to make slaves of others against their will. In June 1785, Clarkson decided that someone should do something about slavery. Ending slavery became his aim for the rest of his life. He translated his prize-winning essay into English and it was published in 1786. The essay attracted a lot of attention for the issue, leading him to get support from other abolitionists, including Granville Sharp.

In 1787, Clarkson helped to form the Committee for the Abolition of the African Slave Trade. Clarkson gathered evidence about the slave trade from eyewitnesses, especially from sailors who had worked on slave trading ships to prove to the public and to the government the horrors of slavery. Clarkson bought examples of equipment used on slave ships, including handcuffs, shackles and branding irons. Clarkson’s evidence helped to persuade William Wilberforce to become a spokesman in for ending slavery.

Clarkson was also very important in raising public awareness by publishing posters, pamphlets and making public speeches. For example, the print of the slave ship Brookes that you saw in lesson 3 was commissioned (paid for) by Thomas Clarkson. He also helped to publish and spread Equiano’s autobiography. In the 18th century, images such as these were crucial for the understanding of the arguments for abolition. There was limited access to newspapers and no television or radio, and not everyone could read and write.

He also helped to organise and submit petitions to parliament. This was a traditional way of political campaigning. Many people who signed petitions couldn’t vote. This was their only way of expressing their opinion. 102 petitions against the slave trade were submitted to parliament in 1788, rising to 519 in 1792, totalling over 400,000 names.

Keywords:

Abolitionists: People who wanted to see slavery end

Shackles: Metal bands that are put on the wrists and ankles, attached by chains to stop a slave escaping

Branding irons: Iron tools that are heated up to burn the owner’s initials or symbol onto the body of a slave to show who owns them

Olaudah Equiano (c.1745 - 1797)

Olaudah Equiano was an ex-slave. He was sold many times, which took him from America to Europe, during which time he learned to read and write. Equiano was eventually sold to Robert King and worked as a deck hand and a barber. He earned money by trading on the side. In only three years, he made enough money to buy his own freedom.

In 1786 in London, Equiano became involved in the campaign to abolish slavery. He was a founding member of the 'Sons of Africa', a group of 12 black men who campaigned for abolition.

In 1789 he published an autobiography called, The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano. With the help of Thomas Clarkson, it was published in 1789, and used as evidence in parliament for why slavery should be abolished (banned). Notice how Equiano is dressed in ‘British’ clothing on the front cover and holding a bible, to make upper class men (MPs) more likely to read it.

He travelled to spread his book, which became very popular and was often used by other abolitionists in Parliament to help the cause. It is one of the earliest books published by a Black African writer and did much to show to politicians the wrongs of the slave trade

Keywords:

Deck hand: Someone who works on a ship

Campaign: an effort to persuade people of a particular view


Politician: Someone who is involved in politics and government

Granville Sharp (1735-1813)

Granville Sharp was a lawyer who used the law courts to try and give slaves their freedom. Granville Sharp’s interest in slavery began in 1765 after he became friends with Jonathan Strong, a slave who had been badly beaten by his master. When Strong's former owner tried to sell him back into slavery outside of Britain, Sharp took the case to the Lord Mayor and was Strong freed.

Sharp eventually had the law changed so that slave owners could not force slaves into slavery back in the Caribbean once they were in Britain. This put may owners off staying in the slave trade as they could not make money by re-selling their slaves abroad.

Sharp and his friend Thomas Clarkson formed the Society for the Abolition of the Slave Trade. Both he and Clarkson persuaded the MP, William Wilberforce, to become their spokesman in Parliament. This led eventually to the slave trade being abolished in 1807 and slave ownership being abolished in 1833. Sharp died before he saw slavery completely abolished in 1833.

Keywords:

Caribbean: Islands in the Atlantic Ocean where sugar and tobacco plantations were


Spokesperson: Someone who speaks on behalf of other people

Parliament: The place where laws are made

Josiah Wedgewood (1730-1795)

Josiah Wedgewood was an English potter who pioneered methods of mass production of pottery – teapots, mugs and cups, plates etc.

From 1787 until his death in 1795, Josiah Wedgwood actively participated in the campaign against slavery by designing a logo for the Anti-Slavery movement. The logo depicted an African man kneeling in prayer under the slogan 'Am I not a man and a brother?'. The design appeared on plates, cups, cutlery, in newspapers, coat buttons, wax seals, jewellery etc to raise awareness of the problem amongst British people.

Today, the logo is unsettling because it reinforces negative stereotypes of Africans as helpless and dependent on Europeans for help, ignoring the fact that so many slaves were actively resisting. However, at the time, Wedgewood choose this image deliberately because it was likely to engage the maximum number of white, British people in the campaign; the African slave is presented as passive rather than rebellious and is therefore non-threatening, and this would appeal to Christians in Britain who still believed that African people were inferior and in need of their Christian help. Unfortunately, charity fundraising campaigns still reinforce this stereotype today for the same reasons.

Keywords:

Potter: Someone who makes pottery and ceramics (plates, cups etc)

Pioneered: Started a new technique / method.

Mass production: Making lots of the same item in large numbers, usually be machine

Stereotypes: Having a fixed view / labelling someone based on an incorrect assumption

Passive: Not resisting, opposite of active

Challenges:

1. Do you agree that William Wilberforce was the most important abolitionist?

I think the most important abolitionist was……

This is because he……. (give example)

This meant that / as a result…..

The other abolitionists were less important because without......then…….

2. Design your own ‘campaign plate’ to explain who you think was most important in the campaign. Include:

a. The name of the person you think was most important

b. 1-2 specific, explained example of what they did to fight against slavery

c. A reason why the others are less important

d. An illustration of your chosen person.



Quick Start: Match the slave rebellion to the description.

Passive resistance

These were slaves who ran away to the mountains in Jamaica from 1655 and set up their own independent communities.

The ‘Maroons’ of Jamaica.

An Easter rebellion in 1760 that ended in 400 executions but gave hope to other slaves.

Tacky’s War, Jamaica

An Easter rebellion in 1816 led by a slave called Bussa. It was crushed within 3 days and ended in 114 executions.

The San-Domingue (now Haiti) rebellion.

Resistance methods aimed to sabotage and deliberately disrupt the slave trade, undermining profit. Slaves broke tools, machinery, worked more slowly and poisoned their owners.

Bussa’s Rebelllion, Barbados

A revolt started in in 1791 and inspired by the French Revolution. Toussaint L’Ouverture led the later revolts and by 1804, Haiti was declared an independent country.

Challenge: Why were slave revolts a success, even if they didn’t succeed in overthrowing their masters at the time?

They disproved the argument that slavery was a good thing; it showed that slaves did not want to be held as captives and could then be used by campaigners back in Britain as evidence against the slave trade.

Lesson 7:

Were anti-slavery campaigners the most important reason for the abolition of Slavery in Britain in 1833?

Quick Start: Match the abolition campaigner to their description. Answers on page 36

Campaigner

Description

Olaudah Equiano

A British MP who campaigned against the slave trade. The first time he introduced the idea he lost the debate by 163 votes to 88 but he never gave up. He campaigned for 18 years.

Granville Sharp

A potter who designed a logo for the abolition campaign. The design appeared on books, plates, coat buttons, wax seals, jewellery etc.

Thomas Clarkson

A lawyer who used the law courts to try and give slaves their freedom and make slavery legally unacceptable.

William Wilberforce

A slave who bought his freedom and published a description of life as a slave in 1789.

Josiah Wedgwood

A British MP who collected evidence against slavery. He spread his message all over the country by publishing posters, pamphlets and making public speeches. He also helped to publish and spread Equiano’s autobiography.

Challenge: How did slave revolts help the campaigners make their argument against slavery?

Task one: Why have the campaigners received all of the credit for abolishing the slave trade?

Read the information below then watch the clip.

In this lesson, you will continue to find out how and why Parliament were persuaded to ban slave ownership in 1833. There are three main reasons:

1. Campaigners – politicians, campaigners and religious groups; people who questioned if it was wrong to treat people as slaves and campaigned in Britain to abolish slavery (called abolitionists).

2. The actions of the slaves themselves – Slave revolts helped to undermine the profits of the trade and show that slavery was wrong.

3. Economic reasons – money; slavery was becoming less profitable and slave owners were bankrupt.

Unfortunately, for a long time, historians and politicians praised mainly the white campaigners who fought for abolition, ignoring the other (probably more convincing) reasons for why Parliament banned slavery. Remember that, in 1833, most MPs were slave traders themselves or made a profit from the trade in some way, so the moral arguments that it was wrong were never going to convince them to abolish slavery if it was still making them money. It is more likely that, as slave rebellions became more widespread, and as public opinion turned against it, the slave trade became a less profitable business.

Watch the clip and answer the questions below. Note – apologies for the shocking acting in parts of this clip! Watch out for the boy with the eyes! Answers on page 36

https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/clips/zhyvr82

1. Who is seen as the ‘main man in the struggle to end slavery’? W________ W____________

2. What did Adam Smith argue about freed people and the economy? That freed people were happier and therefore…..

3. What do modern historians focus on as the main reason for the end of slavery? M_____

4. Who else, who influenced the end of slavery just as much, are ‘always left out’? The s_______

5. What did slave rebellions remind people? That slaves were……

Task Two: What was the most significant (important) factor in bringing about the end of slavery in 1833?

Colour code the examples on page 36 into the following three factors:

· The role of campaigners – e.g. politicians, campaigners and religious groups; people who questioned if it was wrong to treat people as slaves.

· Economic factors (things to do with money)

· Actions of the slaves – rebellions, protests and revolts to be freed.

Answers on page 37

Challenges:

1. Decide which is the most important factor. Can you explain why the other two factors are less important?

2. Make links between the factors. How would one not have happened without the other? Use the diagram to help you, or draw it out yourself, linking each factor with labelled arrows.


The cost of keeping slaves fed, clothed and housed was getting too expensive. Slaves did not work hard unless they were watched all the time and threatened. Economists (experts on money) such as Adam Smith argued that slaves would work harder if they were freed and paid.

As part of the 1833 Slavery Abolition Act, plantation owners were offered compensation (money) for their ‘loss of property’. £20 million was paid to these owners! The slaves themselves were never compensated. This offer made MPs more likely to agree to the law in Parliament.

Slave revolts occurred hundreds of miles away, so campaigners were important in spreading news and awareness of these revolts amongst the British public. News of revolts also helped to give hope to slaves in other plantations, encouraging more revolts.

During slave rebellions on the plantations, many white owners and their families were killed. This scared a lot of slave owners

Christians, called evangelicals, believed that God saw everyone as equal. So, slavery was wrong. Many of these Christians supported the campaigns and were MPs. William Wilberforce was an evangelical.

Josiah Wedgwood joined the anti-slavery side and designed a logo for it. The design appeared on bookplates, coat buttons, wax seals, jewellery etc.

In Britain, it was important for people to be seen as good Christians. So, some people supported anti-slavery because it made them look good. This is why Wedgewood depicted the slave in prayer in his logo.

Christian groups, such as the Quakers, thought that slavery was a sin against God and religion. Thomas Clarkson was a Quaker. They spread the anti-slavery message amongst the people of Britain.

Politicians such as William Wilberforce got other important men in Parliament to consider ending slavery. He made speeches in Parliament against the trade for 18 years.

The Society for the Abolition of the Slave Trade was set up in 1787 by Clarkson and Sharp. Its aim was to let Africans live free from the risk of capture, and outlaw their sale and slavery.

Anti-slavery petitions were signed in British towns, e.g. in 1792 alone 519 petitions were handed to Parliament demanding the abolition of the slave trade.

Slave rebellions were so successful that it was very difficult for owners to run their plantations without problems and expensive repair costs. The rebellions continued to disrupt and undermine the profits of slavery.

Slaves in Britain went to court to get their freedom. There were no laws to say that slavery was illegal, but there were no laws to say it was legal either! By the early 1800s most judges were becoming impressed by the slave’s arguments and set these slaves free. The law of the land was turning against the idea of slavery.

In 1791 Toussaint L’Ouverture lead a slave revolt on the French island of St Dominique. The English tried to capture the island, but they were also defeated in 1798. The slaves won their independence in 1804 and the island was renamed ‘Haiti’. Revolts such as this disproved the racist European view that slaves were inferior and that their natural position in life was to follow orders and do manual work.

Elizabeth Heydrick encouraged women around Britain to set up anti-slavery groups. In the 1820s, there were over 70 of these groups. Although women didn’t have a voice in society at the time, behind the scenes they played a significant role in the abolitionist campaign, organising petitions and boycotting (not buying) sugar produced by slaves. Boycotts helped to make the slave trade less profitable.

Mary Prince was an ex-slave who travelled to Britain in 1828 and campaigned against slavery, working alongside the Anti-Slavery Society and taking employment with Thomas Pringle, an abolitionist writer and Secretary to the Anti-Slavery Society. She became the first woman to present an anti-slavery petition to Parliament and the first black woman to publish an autobiography, ‘The History of Mary Prince: A West Indian Slave '. The book made people in Britain aware that, although the Slave Trade had been made illegal in 1807, the horrors continued.

Between 1730 and 1832 there were slave rebellions against the English, e.g. The Maroon’s Wars from the 1730s, Jamaica in 1760 (Tacky’s War), Saint Domingue (now Haiti) from 1791 and Bussa’s Rebellion in Barbados in 1816. Although many of these failed, they rebellions slowly convinced people that slavery was wrong. Revolts disproved the racist European view that slaves were inferior and that their natural position in life was to follow orders and do manual work.

An ex-slave called Olaudah Equiano wrote an autobiography of his life as a slave in 1789: The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano. It was used by campaigners to support their arguments in Parliament and became popular amongst the British public. The fact that he could read and write, was articulate and intelligent, disproved racist view that slaves were inferior and that their natural position in life was to follow orders and do manual work.

On March 25th, 1807 the Abolition of the Slave Trade Act received its royal assent after the Houses of Parliament voted in favour of ending the practice. This meant that it was illegal to trade slaves but did not free slaves already in forced labour.

Thomas Clarkson collected evidence against slavery from 1787. He spread his message all over the country by publishing posters, pamphlets and making public speeches.

Plantation owners were beginning to lose profits (money). In the 1770s, the price of sugar dropped. Sugar plantations in the West Indies were closing as cheap sugar could be bought from Brazil and Cuba. With fewer, plantations, fewer slaves were needed, making the trade less profitable.

Hannah More was a member of the Abolition Society. She wrote poems and books about the horrors of the slave trade and convinced many of the need to ban it.

Granville Sharp used the law courts to try and give slaves their freedom. He fought many court cases, e.g. the Zong ship. Slavery was becoming legally unacceptable.

Sharp and Clarkson convinced Wilberforce to join the Society for the Abolition of the Slave Trade and fight for the cause in Parliament.


Quick Start: Match the abolition campaigner to their description.

Campaigner

Description

Olaudah Equiano

A British MP who campaigned against the slave trade. The first time he introduced the idea he lost the debate by 163 votes to 88 but he never gave up. He campaigned for 18 years.

Granville Sharp

A potter who designed a logo for the abolition campaign. The design appeared on books, plates, coat buttons, wax seals, jewellery etc.

Thomas Clarkson

A lawyer who used the law courts to try and give slaves their freedom and make slavery legally unacceptable.

William Wilberforce

A slave who bought his freedom and published a description of life as a slave in 1789.

Josiah Wedgwood

A British MP who collected evidence against slavery. He spread his message all over the country by publishing posters, pamphlets and making public speeches. He also helped to publish and spread Equiano’s autobiography.

Challenge: How did slave revolts help the campaigners make their argument against slavery?

They disproved the argument that slavery was a good thing. They showed that slaves did not want to be held as captives and could then be used by campaigners back in Britain as evidence against the slave trade. They reminded people that slaves were human beings. It disproved the racist assumption that African people were inferior and therefore needed to follow orders and do manual work.

Task One Answers: Video Clip

1. Who is seen as the ‘main man in the struggle to end slavery’? William Wilberforce.

2. What did Adam Smith argue about freed people and the economy? That freed people were happier and therefore would work harder and spend their wages, helping the economy as a whole.

3. What do modern historians focus on as the main reason for the end of slavery? Money

4. Who else, who influenced the end of slavery just as much, are ‘always left out’? The slaves themselves!

5. What did slave rebellions remind people? That slaves were human beings.

Task Two Answers: Card sort

· The role of campaigners – e.g. politicians, campaigners and religious groups; people who questioned if it was wrong to treat people as slaves.

· Economic factors (things to do with money)

· Actions of the slaves – rebellions, protests and revolts to be freed.

The cost of keeping slaves fed, clothed and housed was getting too expensive. Slaves did not work hard unless they were watched all the time and threatened. Economists (experts on money) such as Adam Smith argued that slaves would work harder if they were freed and paid.

As part of the 1

Documents

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