What Factors Led to the Abolition of the Slave Trade?

Slavery has existed in the world for several millennia. Before the development of technology to perform tedious tasks, slave systems were employed for such work. Slavery was particularly prevalent in ancient civilizations such as Ancient Sumeria, Egypt, and Greece. The practice subsequently spread to regions such as Europe and Africa. Prior to the commercialization of slaves by European powers after the Middle Ages, slaves in Africa were typically war captives or individuals imprisoned for committing criminal offenses. Many slaves worked on farms owned by the wealthy and influential people in their communities while others toiled in mines. A few even served as skilled laborers. However, the African slave trade was never predicated upon race.

Before the beginning of the Transatlantic Slave Trade, Portuguese navigators who were in pursuit of precious metals embarked on a voyage down the western region of Africa. They arrived at the Gold Coast (contemporary Ghana) in the year 1471. Initially, their primary objective was to acquire gold. Shortly thereafter, Portugal established commercial agreements with the local leaders and constructed El Mina Fort to safeguard its gold trading endeavors. 

At the time, slavery was practiced in the West and Central Africa regions by the natives and there existed places where slaves could be bought and sold. At a certain point, the peril of being abducted and enslaved by rival communities was so elevated that some African communities erected walls around their settlements for protection.

How Did the Entry of More European Powers in West and Central Africa Catalyze the Slave Trade?

A few decades following the entry of the Portuguese in West and Central Africa, the British, Spanish, French, and Dutch also made their presence known in the region. The Western nations soon sought to procure slaves to provide inexpensive labor for their plantations in Europe and the Americas.

As trends changed, Portugal repurposed the Port of El Mina into a holding place for African slaves. Today, El Mina is regarded as the oldest slave fort on the continent. Other European nations also constructed holding areas for slaves which were aptly named slave castles. Although Italian and German merchants and bankers did not directly engage in the trafficking of enslaved Africans, they provided tacit support to the trade by providing funding and insurance to facilitate the Transatlantic Slave Trade. 

By the seventeenth century, every major European nation had made slave trade agreements with African slave merchants. During this period, millions of Africans were abducted and transported to Europe and the Americas. The number of trafficked African slaves soon reached alarming levels.

Arguably the most significant step toward the abolition of slavery was taken towards the end of the 18th century by Britain and select states of North America. In the 1790s, Britain stood out as the biggest participant in the global slave trade. However, in 1807, it became the first major power to outlaw the slave trade. Thereafter, in 1835, slavery was abolished throughout the British Empire. Several Northern American and Canadian states issued similar decrees soon after. 

What Factors Led to the Abolition of the Slave Trade?

Some historians surmise that the expanding middle class, particularly within Britain, contended that slavery did not contribute to their economic progress. This was due to the fact that many of the middle-class entrepreneurs operated without the use of slaves and allocated their capital to enterprises that paid workers. Consequently, they perceived slavery as a practice that brought unfavorable competition against their businesses. Some business people similarly sought to benefit from the African continent by procuring raw materials from African nations and then selling finished goods to Africans for bigger profits. Abolishing the slave trade, they maintained, would render commerce with African states more lucrative.

Moreover, certain individuals within anti-slavery groups also subscribed to the Enlightenment notion of liberty. As such, their advocacy for the cessation of the slave trade was, in part, grounded in its philosophical principles.

How Did Anti-Slavery Groups Contribute to the Abolition of the Slave Trade? 

In the first half of the 19th century, groups of people who sought to terminate slavery attracted considerable attention to the issue and made it difficult to disregard. Quakers, a religious movement established in England during the 17th century, were among these groups. Initially, many group members had a substantial number of slaves. However, as time progressed, they decided to oppose the practice. The shift was primarily due to the fact that the subjugation of fellow human beings conflicted with the group’s religious convictions.

Throughout the 1800s, an increasing number of people demanded that the slave trade be stopped. Soon, more anti-slavery groups were formed. The groups used many tactics to stop slavery such as submitting petitions to lawmakers, boycotting goods produced using slave labor, and organizing protests. Their resolve finally led to the banning of the slave trade in both North America and Europe.