SLAVE TRADE ABOLITION IN CAMBRIDGESHIRE & SUFFOLK
Unit 3
UNIT 3: HOW SHOULD THE STRUGGLE TO ABOLISH
SLAVERY BE REMEMBERED?
In 1807 the British parliament abolished the slave trade. In 1833, they made it
illegal to own slaves throughout the British Empire. Why did this happen?
You need to decide how this story should be told and who deserves the credit.
Was March 25th, 1807 the key date in the story? Was William Wilberforce the
driving force behind the abolition of slavery?
Unit 3a: HOW IMPORTANT WAS MARCH 25TH, 1807?
March 25th, 1807 is seen as one of the days that shook the world. As the clock struck
noon, King George III signed the bill to abolish the British slave trade into law.
However, was this date really one of history’s great turning points? Use the
TIMELINE to make your own mind up!
1791


ABOLITIONISTS DEFEATED - William Wilberforce introduces his first Bill
to abolish the slave trade. Despite the mountain of evidence that Clarkson had
collected and a brilliant speech by Wilberforce in parliament it is heavily
defeated by 163 votes to 88 votes.
THOUSANDS SUPPORT SUGAR BOYCOTT - Wilberforce is now
convinced that only massive public support can persuade parliament to abolish
the slave trade. Clarkson travels throughout England, Wales and Scotland,
covering 6000 miles in an attempt to raise more public support. He also
encourages people to join the boycott of West-Indian slave grown sugar, a
movement inspired by pamphlets produced by William Crafton and William
Fox. 300,000 people are now refusing West Indian sugar. Hundreds of
petitions from all over the country are sent to parliament calling for the
abolition of the slave trade.
1792

ABOLITIONISTS FORCED TO WAIT - Parliament debates abolishing the
slave trade. Pitt gives one of the greatest speeches ever heard in parliament
speech supporting Wilberforce (See Unit 2). However, Henry Dundas
proposed an amendment to insert the word ‘gradually’ into Wilberforce’s
motion to abolish the trade. The House of Commons agreed and by 230 votes
to 85 pledged itself to ‘gradually abolish’ the British slave trade.
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Unit 3
1793

WAR WITH FRANCE - 1796 is fixed as the year when the trade will end but
it never happens. By 1793 Britain is at war with France. Wilberforce has to
work hard to keep the issue alive in parliament as the war dominates
discussions. Public interest also tails off.
1804 - 1807

CLARKSON RIDES AGAIN! - The Society for the Abolition of the Slave
Trade expands its committee from 12 to 40 people. For the next three years
they worked hard to gain support for the cause, concentrating most of their
efforts on parliament. However, Clarkson tours England again building public
support for the anti-slavery movement.
1807

SLAVE TRADE ABOLISHED AT LAST - The slave trade is finally
abolished in the British Empire. The bill passes the House of Lords by 100
votes to 34. In the House of Commons The Abolition of the Slave Trade Act
is passed by 283 votes to 16. This was a sign of the careful work carried out in
parliament by Lord Grenville and the widespread support that Clarkson and
other anti-slavery campaigners had built up through their campaigns and tours
around the country. The new law stated that any British captain caught with
slaves on board would be fined £10 for every slave on the ship.
INFORMATION BOX
The new Act was a major achievement for the anti-slavery movement but the law
did not go far enough.

It did not outlaw slavery completely. Slaves on British owned plantations
would not be set free. Only the trade had been abolished.
The slave trade continued. Some traders risked being captured because
profits were so high. Slave-ships that were in danger of being captured
threw slaves overboard before reaching British controlled waters.
Countries such as France, Portugal and Spain still traded in slaves.


1807-14

THE FIGHT CONTINUES - Clarkson and Wilberforce, together with other
abolitionists, fight for an international ban on the slave trade. Clarkson meets
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SLAVE TRADE ABOLITION IN CAMBRIDGESHIRE & SUFFOLK
Unit 3
with the Russian Emperor, Alexander I. Russia has no slave trade and
Clarkson hopes that Alexander, a known supporter of abolition, can persuade
other European leaders to end the trade.
1814

OPPORTUNITY LOST - Clarkson and Wilberforce also hope that when the
war ends with France the British government will force the French to abolish
the slave trade in return for getting its colonies back. However in 1814, under
the conditions of the Treaty of Paris, France is allowed to continue the slave
trade for five years. Wilberforce tells the House of Commons that the actions
of the government mean a ‘death warrant’ for thousands. Meanwhile, Clarkson
helps to organize local groups who encourage members of the public to
express their disappointment with the government’s failure to put a block on
the French slave trade. A total of 861 petitions, signed by 755,000 people are
sent to parliament.
1823 -1833

SUPPORT GROWS FOR ANTI-SLAVERY MOVEMENT – In 1823 a new
anti-slavery society is formed which aims to abolish slavery throughout the
British Empire. Wilberforce and Clarkson are members but younger
campaigners play a key role. Thomas Fowell Buxton, for example, takes over
from Wilberforce as the anti-slavery spokesman in parliament. Lecturers are
employed for the first time to hold public meetings which expose the horrors
of slavery. Clarkson, now 63 years old, continues to play an important role. In
12 months he travels 10,000 miles setting up meetings and organising local
branches and petitions. Women also play a key role. More than 70 women’s
antislavery societies are set up. They call for a new sugar boycott, urge
shopkeepers not to stock slave-grown goods and call for people to only vote
for MPs who support the abolition of slavery. The dramatic increase in the
number of local branches and petitions being sent to parliament means that the
antislavery campaign can no longer be ignored.
1833

SLAVERY ABOLISHED THROUGHOUT THE EMPIRE - The Slavery
Abolition Act is passed by parliament. From 1st August 1834 all slaves in the
British Empire are to be given their freedom. Some 800,000 people will no
longer be slaves. Sadly, William Wilberforce dies just one month before the
act is passed.
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Unit 3
INFORMATION BOX
The new law had two controversial clauses.


£20,000,000 compensation was paid to the slave owners (the amount today
would be about £1220 million).
Slaves had to work as ‘apprentices’ for six years. Only then did they
become truly ‘free’. Apprentices had to work a forty-hour week for six
years for their former masters, for no pay. This was still effectively a form
of slavery under a different name. Only children under six had been given
true freedom.
1838

APPRENTICESHIPS ENDED - Joseph Sturge sails to the West Indies and
finds that apprenticeships have not improved life for supposedly free blacks.
He publishes his findings in 1837. In 1838 petitions are sent to parliament
protesting about the apprenticeship system. They are signed by 449,000
people. In the Caribbean, angry apprentices stage widespread strikes and
demonstrations. Parliament finally ends the apprenticeship system on 1 August
1838.
1846

CLARKSON DIES - At 4 ‘o’ clock in the morning of 26 September Thomas
Clarkson died, aged 86. During the1830s and early 40s Clarkson had become
involved in the American antislavery movement and was visited by American
campaigners such as William Lloyd Garrison and Frederick Douglass. In
1840 he had attended an anti-slavery meeting held in London and attended by
campaigners from the United States, Canada, France, the West Indies,
Switzerland and Spain. In his last major public speech, Clarkson attacked the
American cotton plantation owners who still kept more than 2 million people
as slaves in ‘cruel’ conditions. His final message to his audience was to ‘take
courage’ and never give up ‘until slavery was removed form the world’.
PUPIL ACTIVITY 3a



What were the main obstacles faced by abolitionists such as Wilberforce and
Clarkson?
What were the main factors that led to the abolition of the slave trade?
How important was the 1807 act? Was it really the key turning point in the
fight against slavery? Do you think that there were other events that were just
as important?
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Unit 3
Unit 3b:THE STORY OF ABOLITION - HOW HAS IT BEEN TOLD?
The Traditional Interpretation
For over 150 years William Wilberforce has been presented as the main hero of the
campaign to end slavery. Most books, newspaper articles and documentaries have
tended to focus on Wilberforce’s role in the anti-slavery movement. Wilberforce has
become a household name, one of the heroes of history.
A Forgotten Hero?
In contrast Thomas Clarkson’s role has been overlooked. In his own lifetime Clarkson
was praised for his courage and heroism. Clarkson was one of the founders of the
movement to abolish the slave trade and in the eyes of people at the time he was the
‘mastermind’ and ‘the link’ that held the campaign together. Clarkson played a key
role in planning the tactics for the anti-slavery campaign. As you have seen, he
travelled the country investigating every aspect of the slave trade in detail and
communicating his findings to the general public through pamphlets and speeches at
public meetings. Clarkson helped to form and organise anti-slavery groups in towns
throughout the country and was able to create massive public support for the
campaign.
Despite this, Clarkson is rarely mentioned for long, if at all, in books, articles, films
and documentaries about the anti-slavery campaign. Very few people today appreciate
the role he played. In contrast to the many biographies of Wilberforce that have been
produced, a detailed biography of Clarkson did not appear until 1989. Also, it was not
until 1996 that Clarkson was granted a memorial stone on the floor of Westminster
Abbey. A larger than life statue of Wilberforce had stood there for more than 150
years.
How was Clarkson written out of history?
Why then have so many historians overlooked the role Thomas Clarkson played in
stopping slavery? One problem is that Clarkson never dreamed that anyone would
ever write his life-story and as a result threw out most of his papers. The publication
of a very popular biography of Wilberforce by his sons (Robert and Samuel) in 1838
also had a damaging effect. This is because of the way that the biography was written.
Look carefully at the following table and think carefully about the impact that this
biography has had.
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Unit 3
What was the impact of the biography written by Wilberforce’s sons?
Robert & Samuel
Wilberforce …
Key questions
called Clarkson the ‘paid
agent’ of the antislavery
movement
Why is this inaccurate?
did not name Clarkson as a
member of the abolition
committee
ignored the many
references to Clarkson in
their father’s letters
never used any of the
documents Clarkson had
lent them to help them
write their biography
(these were later lost or
destroyed
claimed that while still a
boy, Wilberforce had
written a letter to a
Yorkshire newspaper
opposing slavery
What do you think was
their motive for doing
this?
Why?
What impact might this
have on
(a) their father’s
reputation
(b) Clarkson’s
reputation
What impression does the
use of the word ‘agent’
create?
How does this affect the
work of later historians?
No researcher has ever
been able to find this
letter. Why might they
have made this up?
A forgotten partnership
Clarkson was deeply hurt by Robert and Samuel Wilberforce’s biography. Many
people at the time sided with him and he received many letters of support from
colleagues. William Wilberforce and Thomas Clarkson both played very important
roles in the campaign to abolish slavery. However, in their biography of their father,
the Wilberforce brothers did not mention the respect and admiration that Clarkson and
Wilberforce had for each other. Clarkson and Wilberforce were one of history’s great
partnerships. Both played crucial roles in the campaign to abolish the slave trade. As
Clarkson himself wrote
What could Mr. Wilberforce have done in parliament if I had not collected that
great body of evidence … And what could the committee have done without
the parliamentary aid of Mr. Wilberforce?
In 1844 Clarkson received a letter from Robert and Samuel Wilberforce, in which
they apologised for the way they had portrayed him in their book. However, no public
apology was ever made.
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Unit 3
The Wilberforce biography had a powerful influence on later historians. Unlike
Clarkson’s accounts of the abolition movement, it was easy to get hold of, detailed
and contained lots of source material they could use in their own books. Many
historians treated it as a fair and accurate account of what actually happened. Until
very recently, most biographies of Wilberforce follow the main line of argument
taken by his sons - that slavery in the British Empire came to an end almost entirely
because of one man and his close friends.
The view that William Wilberforce played the key role in the campaign to abolish
slavery can also be found in some of the films and documentaries released recently to
coincide with the 200th anniversary of the ending of the slave trade on British ships.
PUPIL ACTIVITY 3b
The Biography
 Why should historians be more careful when they use the biography of
Wilberforce written by his sons?
 What advice would you give a student intending to use the biography to study
the history of the abolition movement?
Changing Interpretations – How has Thomas Clarkson been remembered?
 Use the extra information provided (see file: How has Thomas Clarkson
been remembered?) to construct a living graph (place time on the horizontal
axis and ‘popularity’ on the vertical axis) showing how interpretations of
Thomas Clarkson have changed since his death. Annotate your graph to give
reasons for the changes in how Clarkson has been remembered.
 You may want to complete your graph by carrying out interviews to determine
how Clarkson is remembered today. How many people had heard of William
Wilberforce? How many had heard of Thomas Clarkson? What does this
suggest?
The Film: ‘Amazing Grace’ (released in 2007)
http://www.amazinggracemovie.com




Look at an advertisement for the film. What impression does this source
create?
Watch the trailer for the film. What impression does this clip create?
How is Clarkson portrayed in the film?
Design your own trailer to a film about the abolition of slavery that fully
recognises the role played by Thomas Clarkson. You can either storyboard
your film trailer or you could use MovieMaker to actually make your own
trailer.
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Unit 3
Unit 3c: THE STORY OF ABOLITION - HOW SHOULD IT BE TOLD?
Exploring the contribution made by other campaigners
However, should any story of the struggle to abolish slavery only cover the
contributions made by Wilberforce and Clarkson? It is time to learn about other
individuals, events and developments that had a major impact.
PUPIL ACTIVTY 3c





Look back at the TIMELINE you studied in UNIT 3a. List other individuals
who played an important role in abolishing slavery.
Add to the list of individuals by using the information cards provided. When
you have finished produce a concept map showing any links between the
individuals. Vary the thickness of the lines to show how strong the connection
was between different individuals. Make sure you can explain the diagram you
produce.
Work in groups. Use the information cards to research the factors behind the
abolition of slavery in more detail. You may want to use bullet points or a
Mind Map to summarise your findings.
After you have researched each factor think carefully back to the trailer you
planned/made at the end of Unit 3b. How would you want to change this now
in order to tell the full story of the abolition of slavery?
Imagine that a documentary is being made that aims to tell the full story of the
abolition of slavery. The documentary will be 1 hour long. How long would
you spend exploring each of the factors listed below? Write a short paragraph
to justify each decision you make.
(a) The role played by the following campaigners:
- William Wilberforce
- Thomas Clarkson
- Granville Sharp
- Olaudah Equiano
- Quobna Ottobah Cugoano
- Ignatius Sancho
- Phyllis Wheatley
- Mary Prince
(b) Female Anti-Slavery Societies
(c) Religious Groups (such as the Quakers and the Methodists)
(d) Politicians (such as William Pitt and Thomas Fowell Buxton)
(e) Political Change
(f) Economics
(g) Slave Resistance
For the information cards see the file named ‘INFORMATION CARDS - Key Factors
in the Abolition of Slavery’
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SLAVE TRADE ABOLITION IN CAMBRIDGESHIRE & SUFFOLK
Unit 3
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