Wayne State AP TuneUp Day
April 22, 2008
“End of Slave Trade in Europe”
Dr. Catherine Ash
West Africa speciality
*One can note Dr. Eric Foner’s work on African Atlantic Systems trade.
1807 England abolished slave trade for English Citizens.
Would take 100 years to impact other countries.
Why did it End after 300 Years?
Today’s POV=immoral
Three reasons for End of Slave Trade:
1. Economic 2. Humanitarian 3. African resistance
ECONOMIC
Sugar #1 reason for Slavery!!
original reason for Europeans to sail around Africa? GOLD, routes to Indian trade.
Need for LABOR after discovery of Caribbean Islands and fact that sugar grows well there.
Profitable–People left sugar properties in their wills.
Labor NEEDED!!
1600′s-1700′s–Coffee, tea becomes fad and part of European diet. Sugar as sweetner becomes
more profitable$$$$$$$$
Br., Fr. Dutch, etc. al businessmen invest in LAND–plantations
Sugar overproduced in 1700′s
Price of Sugar DOWN
Plantation owners (English in Jamaica or in England) in debt….Also, losing influence in Parliament and with bankers who were nervous about Sugar surplus/glut..
Also, French, Dutch, Cubans (Spanish) getting better at producing sugar–better tech. systems.
British financiers looking at OLD investment (SUGAR) OR Factories–new investment.
What is going to be more profitable for future? Factories….Industrial Revolution (1750)
Slave Trade=Labor from Africa to Caribbean very EXPENSIVE.
Industrial Revolution could utilize poor British from farms (China, India today?) Cheaper workers,
cheaper to finance.
Also, PALM OIL became an attractive product–lubrication for machines and Soap
Palm Oil needed more than Sugar, also, gum arabic-dyes.
African slavery disrupts econ. systems in W. African colonies….
different goods like palm oil, gum arabic make Africa appear as a market for industrial goods, NOT
as a Slave labor pool.
Can sell industrial goods to W. Africa. Slave Trade a HEADACHE…Thus, slave trade chaotic, Europeans, specifically England, saw palm oil, etc. and market for their industrial goods as an
‘easier’ system…
HUMANITARIAN
Change in “Mentality” in Europe–Humanitarian, Enlightenment philosophy moved through
A. Evangelical Dissenters and B. Enlightenment Philosophy.
A.1700′s Slavery viewed as NOT a sin.
But, in England, Quakers, Protestant Dissenters believed enslavement was a SIN!
Evangelical movement=dark areas need “help” via GOD.
Saw English alleys filled with poor and Africa needing Christ, God, Christianity, missionary work
**An aside from Maunu–
Were slaves also seen as labor competition for Dissenters? Thus, another reason to end slavery.
I asked Dr. Ash and she thought it was interesting point, but had no evidence for this….
Said she was going to look into it.
Prot. Evangelicalism was a grass roots movement moved through town hall and church meetings.
B. Enlightenment philosophy
Philosophy discussed at elite intellectual level in late 18th century.
2 Rev=British American Rev. (1776-1780′s) and French Rev. (1789-1790′s)
Dec. of Independence–”all MEN created equal.”
“Liberty, Equality, Fraternity”
“Declaration of Rights of Man and the Citizen”
In summary of first 2 views, Econ. and Humanitarian, both are EURO-centric Points of View.
AFRICAN RESISTANCE
African pov=Africans always resisted slavery
1700-1890′s slave resistance became large scale.
Freed slaves in England involving themselves in Church Evangelical movements=
Equiano (Gustava Vassa) who argued that Africa would be improved with Christianity and alternative economies like palm oil trade…and English investment and trade.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olaudah_Equiano
and
Cugoano who wanted English govt. to use English navy to block slave trade out of Africa.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quobna_Ottobah_Cugoano
Fredrick Douglas would be comparison to Equiano and Cuguano.
French Haiti-San Domingue was largest sugar producing area in WORLD.
400,000 slaves was largest concentration of slaves on globe
Independent Black Republic developed using French Rev. ideals–Toussaint Louverture…
Scared Europeans-may have slowed down reforms to end slavery..
http://thelouvertureproject.org/index.php?title=Toussaint_Louverture
**Maunu aside–why no American statues as to 6’6″ slave leader who led revolution in Haiti?
Ended Napoleon’s vision of controlling Western United States…Democratic hero?
No, a black man who overthrew white men….Bad…
Jamaica–British sugar
Massive revolts across plantations. Plantation owners nervous, bankers nervous about investing.
British 1807 slavery illegal for Br. citizens–Does NOT end slavery.
Denmark was 1st country to abolish African slavery in Atlantic World.
US-1808, Holland 1814 follow–of course, Virginia becomes slave breeding state at this time.
Spain and Port. only trade slaves south of Equator.
East African coast sees slave trade increase.
Brazil 1830 outlaws African slavery.
Consequences:
1. New states–Freetown, Sierra Leone (Libesville?) and Liberia, Gabon
2. Slave trade gradually ends in Africa, but prices of slaves go up in Africa
3. Legitimate Trade (rubber, gum arabic, palm oil)-commercial relationship between Europe
and Africa changes–
Europe will “go into” or penetrate Africa, not just stay on coast.
COLONIAL CONQUEST begins–Europeans take over “African states.”
Change over Time (COT) Economic exchange now adds POLITICAL CONTROL-Imperialism
Berlin Conference 1884 calms down “war” tension due to heated colonial African competition.
Trade rules defined.
Palm oil lucrative in Nigeria. Stanley will go into Congo, Gabon…
East Africa slave trade will impact Indian Ocean Trade.
Where did E. African slaves go?–Swahili Coast
1. Swahili Coast—–cloves, spices, nutmeg
2. Mauritius-Islands off coast of East Africa–French will occupy after losing San Domingue-SUGAR
3. Brazil becomes more desirable–Brazil and Cuba last areas to outlaw slavery
