The Abolition of Slavery

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William Wilberforce

William Wilberforce was born in Hull on 24 August 1759. William was a small, sickly and delicate child, with poor eyesight. In 1768 Williams’s father died. His mother and grandfather couldn’t take care of him so they sent him to his aunt and uncle in Wimbledon where he was encouraged to become a protestant.

His mother and grandfather were strict church of Englanders so they brought him back after 3 years of sending him to his aunt and uncles home.

Later on the death of his uncle and grandfather left William very rich. He joined St Johns College in Cambridge. After he passed his examinations in 1781 and 1788 he went to university where he started to consider a political career.

During 1989 he and his friend Pitt watched many House of Commons debates from the galley where he developed a liking to it.

At the age of 21 in the year 1980 William was elected a member of parliament. He had spent £8000 making sure he had enough votes.

He was convinced in the year 1786 William was convinced by the Testonites (a group of people working to abolish slavery) to present there case in parliament against slavery.

The part William played in the abolition of slavery was a crucial one. William led the parliamentary act against slavery to the very end. He even led an entire seven years of war against France, who at the time – were close allies.

Olaudah Equiano

Olaudah Equiano was born in Nigeria to black parents. When he was ten and a half year old he was kidnapped by Africans from nearby villages and sold to a slave trader who then sold him to another village in Kenya.

He was then traded and sold from many people until one day; he was sold to a British trader and was taken along the middle passage over to Virginia in the USA where he was forced to take on a new name.

Gustavus Vassa was what he was to be called from then on. At the time he was owned by a lieutenant in the royal navy who also gave Olaudah the chance to be educated and christened. This was declared special treatment for a slave as it was rare that this was ever allowed to be done.

He was also allowed to work for the army during the seven year war with France in which he hauled gunpowder onto the gun decks.

In return for his help olaudah was granted his freedom. 2 days later he travelled to England where no-one was allowed to be enslaved. In the part on the way to England olaudah was captured and was almost enslaved all over again until a letter was sent to his previous owner asking whether olaudah had in fact been freed like he was saying or not. The lieutenant was an honest man so Olaudah was freed after the reply said he had in fact been released.

In England Olaudah raised a family and after a few months decided to help the act of abolishing slavery by writing an auto-biography enlisting true stories and events that olaudah was forced to live through. Law makers were moved by his writings, so his role in abolishing slavery was also a crucial role.

Thomas Clarkson

Thomas Clarkson was born in Cambridge to rev Clarkson. He was educated in Wisbech Grammar School because his father was the head master. He was very smart, smart enough to attended college and Cambridge University.

While he was in Cambridge University Thomas was horror stricken and angered about what he had researched in the subject of slavery.

He entered a competition in which he was told to write and essay called about the slave trade.

He won first prize and travelled to London where he translated the essay into English and published it. It became a popular read at an alarming rate as thousands of people read it and were moved.

Encourage by Thomas’s essay a group of people gathered to make the “committee for the abolition of the slave trade” including many MPs.

This group gained much power and it was this group who in the end convinced parliament to abolish slavery.

So Thomas Clark’s role in abolishing slavery was another very crucial role.