Toussaint died in 1803 but the wheels of change were in motion. Under the military leadership of Toussaint, the freedom fighters were able to gain the upper hand and defeat the French, Spanish and British forces that attempted to regain control.

One of the most successful commanders was Toussaint L’Ouverture, formerly enslaved domestically. Toussaint L’Ouvertureįor 13 years, the country was in a state of civil war with the enslaved fighting for their freedom under the leadership of their fellow Africans. There were a number of factors that led to the rebellion, one of which was the French Revolution in 1789, which called for ‘liberté, égalité, fraternité’ (liberty, equality and fraternity). The island had become one of the wealthiest producing colonies and therefore attracted the interest of the French, the Spanish and the English, three of the world’s strongest powers at the time. The uprising would play a crucial role in making Saint Domingue the first Caribbean island to declare its independence and only the second independent nation in the Western Hemisphere. On 23 August 1791 a massive revolt by enslaved Africans erupted on the island of Saint Domingue, now known as Haiti and the Dominican Republic. The campaign to end slavery coincided with the uprisings of the French Revolution and the retaliation of enslaved communities in the British colonies. The Haitian revolution and the slave trade

It was now against the law for any British ship or British subject to trade in enslaved people.Īlthough the abolitionists had won the end of Britain’s involvement in the trade, plantation slavery still existed in British colonies. The abolition of slavery now became the main focus of the campaign though this was a long and difficult struggle. Full emancipation was not achieved until 1838 and none of the ex-slaves received compensation. Legislation was finally passed in both the Commons and the Lords which brought an end to Britain’s involvement in the trade. The bill received royal assent in March and the trade was made illegal from. In 1806-07, with the abolition campaign gaining further momentum, he had a breakthrough. William Wilberforce was the key figure supporting the cause within Parliament. Detail from a cotton handkerchief created in the 19th century ( ZBA2476)Ĭlarkson and Wilberforce were two of the most prominent abolitionists, playing a vital role in the ultimate success of the campaign.Ĭlarkson was a tireless campaigner and lobbyist. He made an in-depth study of the horrors of the trade and published his findings. Clarkson toured Britain and Europe to spread the abolitionist word and inspire action. As a result, the abolition campaign grew into a popular mass movement.

Battle slave special edition