Abolition of slavery

What was abolitionism?

Abolitionism, or the abolitionist movement, was the movement to end slavery and the slave trade.

Who were some of the key abolitionists?

There were many famous abolitionists, such as Thomas Clarkson, Granville Sharp, Olaudah Equiano and William Wilberforce.

What were the tactics of the abolitionists?

The abolitionists used a wide variety of tactics in their struggle to end slavery.

• ❖ They used boycotts where local groups, especially women, refused to buy from shops that sold produce made on plantations, such as sugar. Around 300,000 people refused to buy slave-grown sugar.
• ❖ Some abolitionists were, or had been, slaves themselves. They wrote autobiographies about their experiences. Olaudah Equiano, for example, wrote 'The Interesting Narrative of the life of Olaudah Equiano', where he showed in detail how inhumane his treatment had been.
• ❖ Abolitionists such as Josiah Wedgwood created merchandise, including medallions and crockery, so people could show their support for the cause.
• ❖ The abolitionists used petitions, where they collected as many signatures as possible against the slave trade. One petition in Manchester had signatures from 20% of the city's entire adult population.
• ❖ The abolitionists tried to fight in Parliament by passing resolutions and laws against the slave trade.

What was the significance of the abolitionists' campaign to end slavery?

The abolitionist movement is significant for three main reasons:

• ❖ They won! In 1807 a bill to abolish the slave trade was passed and, in 1833, slavery itself was abolished throughout the British Empire.
• ❖ British MPs and others campaigned to protect the rights of minorities.
• ❖ It showed how effective protest could be as the campaign was successful.