Hi there, I'm Mr. Roberts.

Thanks for joining me for today's history lesson.

Where my job will be to guide you through our history resources.

I'll be making sure that by the end of today's lesson, you'll be able to securely meet our lesson objective.

By the end of our lesson on the 1807 abolition of the slave trade, today, you'll be able to securely explain the causes of Britain's abolition of slavery and how this led to Britain combating enslavement around the world.

There are five key terms, which once we are familiar with them, will help us navigate our way through the lesson more easily.

Tyranny is the oppression of people, usually under a dictator or tyrant.

Abolition is the outlawing of enslavement by a particular country.

Amplifying refers to making a sound louder or strengthening a point of view.

Profited refers to making money from doing something.

And inhumane is a word used to describe the treatment of people in a way that goes against the dignity and respect human beings deserve.

Today's lesson will be separated into three parts, and we're going to begin by examining the growing view held by the British public.

This enslavement was an immoral practise.

Slavery had been a cornerstone of the British Empire's economy for a great deal of the 18th century, helping to make Britain prosperous and to raise standards of living across the country.

Many of Britain's elites also became incredibly wealthy, thanks to their ownership of enslaved people who worked on plantations in the Caribbean.

In the aftermath of the 1789 French Revolution, Britain was at war with France's leader, Napoleon Bonaparte, who was seen in Britain as a tyrant, seeking to expand France's power and potentially invade Britain.

This caused many British people to worry about their freedom to live their lives as they wanted.

In 1798, the British army had also failed to capture the French colony of Saint-Domingue from an army of enslaved Africans and free Black and indigenous people who had rebelled against the French.

It started to seem inconsistent to many British people that on the one hand they were fighting against the tyranny of Napoleon, and on the other hand, they had been trying to impose a tyranny of their own on the people of Saint-Domingue.

As a result, opposition to slavery increased as people spoke out against this hypocrisy.

Now it's time for a quick learning check to make sure we are retaining the right information as we move forwards through our lesson.

Which keyword will complete Andeep's sentence? The same keyword will fill both gaps.

Pause the video while you complete this task, and then press play when you are ready for the answer to be revealed.

Welcome back, and well done If you identified the missing word as tyranny.

Andeep's sentence reads, "It was inconsistent to many British people that on the one hand, they were fighting against the tyranny of Napoleon and had at the same time been trying to impose a tyranny of their own on the people of Saint-Domingue." In Britain, criticism of the awful conditions for enslaved people during the notorious Middle Passage across the Atlantic increased.

Reports detailed the overcrowded and unsanitary conditions on these vessels, where enslaved individuals were crammed into tight spaces with little room to move.

Disease, malnutrition, and abuse were rampant, leading to appalling levels of suffering and death among the captive Africans.

Similarly, as details of the horrors of plantation life filtered back to the British public, popular opinion began to solidify against enslavement, railing against British elites who continue to perpetuate and become wealthy as a result of the slave trade.

Activists and religious leaders appealed to the consciences of the British people and called for an end to the buying and selling of enslaved human beings.

Individuals such as Olaudah Equiano and William Wilberforce campaigned relentlessly for abolition in Britain and its colonies.

Now let's have a go at the following multiple choice question.

What did William Wilberforce and Olaudah Equiano campaign for? A, abolition only in Britain? B, abolition in Britain and its colonies? Or C, abolition only in Britain's colonies? Pause the video while you make a decision, and then press play when you are ready to continue.

Welcome back, and well done if you said the answer is B, William Wilberforce and Olaudah Equiano campaign for abolition in both Britain and its colonies throughout the British Empire.

During the late 18th and early 19th centuries, there was a growing awareness among some Britons of the perceived parallels between the poor working conditions and wages endured by the working class in Britain and the harsh conditions experienced by enslaved people on plantations in the colonies.

Both working systems were enriching the British elites whilst exploiting the human beings working for them.

That's not to say that campaigners argued that British working class people were facing the exact same oppression as enslaved people, but there was a common cause between those working to abolish slavery and those hoping to improve the lives of the poorest members of British society.

This had the effect of amplifying the voice of both groups, who shared a common enemy in the factory and plantation-owning British elites and led to more people joining the abolitionist movement.

Now it's time for a true or false question.

True or false? In the abolition movement, people argued that British workers' lives were as bad as those who were enslaved.

Pause the video while you consider the answer, and then press play when you are ready to continue.

Welcome back, and well done if you set that statement is false.

With that in mind, which of the following statements is correct? A, there was common cause between abolitionists and those hoping to improve the lives of the poorest Britons.

Or B, abolitionists and those hoping to improve the lives of the poorest Britons saw no similarities in their work.

Once again, pause the video and come back when you are ready for the answer.

Welcome back, and well done if you said the correct statement was A.

It is true to say, there was common cause between abolitionists and those hoping to improve the lives of the poorest Britons.

Now, I'd like you to explain why public opinion against slavery had grown significantly by the early 19th century, which is another way of saying the early 1800s.

I'd also like you to consider the factors on the screen in your answer.

Britain's fight against Napoleon's tyranny, poor working conditions amongst the British working class, and the work of abolitionists such as William Wilberforce and Olaudah Equiano.

Pause this video while you complete this task, and when you've completed it, press play for some feedback in the form of a model answer.

Hello again, and well done if your answer sounds anything like this.

By the early 19th century, public opinion against slavery had grown significantly in Britain due to a variety of factors.

Firstly, Britain was at war with France fighting to protect the British people from Napoleon's tyranny.

However, this was confusing because at the same time, British troops were trying to impose tyranny on the people of Saint-Domingue.

As a result, opposition to slavery increased as people spoke out against this hypocrisy.

Secondly, some Britons drew comparisons to the poor working conditions experienced by the working classes and the awful conditions faced by enslaved people.

This had the effect of amplifying the voice of both groups, who shared a common enemy in the factory and plantation-owning British elites and led to more people joining the abolitionist movement.

Finally, the work of abolitionists like Willie Wilberforce and Olaudah Equiano also increased calls from the public for abolition.

This was because Equiano's autobiography and Wilberforce's speeches in Parliament brought attention to the dire conditions enslaved people were experiencing and encouraged the public to support the campaign for abolition.

That brings us nicely onto the second part of our lesson today on the 1807 abolition of the slave trade, where we will be learning about the 1807 Slave Trade Act itself and how far it went in setting out the illegality of enslavement in British law.

The Haitian Revolution from 1791 to 1804 and Britain's subsequent failure to put a stop to it instilled fear amongst Britain's slave-owning class that revolts could spread to their plantations in places like Jamaica and Barbados.

This idea was terrifying to British slave-owners who fearing for their own safety, property, and wealth began to have thoughts of abolition.

This is exactly what did happen in Jamaica in 1795 and Barbados in 1816, and coupled with the pressures of the abolition movement, these revolts convinced the British public that enslaved persons found their lives intolerable.

With the assistance of William Wilberforce, the British Parliament passed the Slave Trade Act in 1807, essentially abolishing the buying, selling, and transporting of enslaved people throughout the British Empire.

It is true to say that the 1807 Slave Trade Act represented a complete change for Britain who had profited economically from slavery for the vast majority of its time as an imperial power.

However, it should be noted that although the 1807 Slave Trade Act was a huge step forward for the abolition, it did not free any currently enslaved individuals who for now remains the property of their owners.

Now, let's pause for another check on our understanding.

I'd like you to complete the sentences on the screen, pause the video while you do this, and then press play when you are ready for the answers.

Welcome back, and well done if your sentences look like this.

Firstly, revolts in British colonies such as Jamaica and Barbados, strengthened the British public's opposition to enslavement.

And secondly, Parliament's passing of the Slave Trade Act of 1807 abolished the buying and selling of enslaved people throughout the British Empire.

Next, let's attempt the following multiple choice question.

What's the 1807 Slave Trade Act represent for Britain? A, a continuation of British tolerance of enslavement hasn't been the case in the past? B, a complete change for Britain, who now no longer tolerated human enslavement? Or C, a continuation of Britain moving enslaved individuals from Africa to the Caribbean? Pause the video while you contemplate your decision and then press play for the answer to be revealed.

Welcome back.

Well done if you said B.

It is true to say that the 1807 Slave Trade Act was a complete change for Britain who now no longer tolerated human enslavement, having promoted it for so long.

The pressure that the British public puts on the government to abolish slavery is sometimes known as "pressure from below" as the public are considered "below" those in charge according to a social hierarchy.

The British government also faced "pressure from above" to abolish slavery as this pressure came from some worried British plantation owners who were considered "above" others in a social hierarchy.

With that key learning in mind, answer the following question.

Who was responsible for putting pressure from above on the British government in favour of abolition? A, the majority of the British public? B, the monarch? Or C, some plantation owners? Press play to resume the lesson.

Hello again, and well done if you said the correct answer was C, some plantation owners put pressure from above on the British government to outlaw enslavement out of fear of losing money or property.

Now, I would like you to explain why the British government was receiving pressure from above to pass the 1807 Slave Trade Act.

I'd like you to include the following in your answer, the Haitian Revolution, Jamaica and Barbados, and British slave-owners.

Pause the video while you complete this task, and press play when you're ready for some feedback.

Welcome back.

I asked you to explain why the British government was receiving pressure from above to pass the 1807 Slave Trade Act.

Well done if your answer looked anything like this.

The British government was receiving pressure from above to pass the 1807 Slave Trade Act because the Haitian Revolution had worried some British slave and plantation-owners.

They were concerned that similar uprisings of enslaved people would spread to their Caribbean colonies in Jamaica and Barbados.

The Haitian Revolution had demonstrated that enslaved people could successfully overthrow their owners and establish their own independent state.

This idea was terrifying to British slave-owners who, fearing for their own safety, property and wealth, began to have thoughts of abolition.

And with that, it's now time for the final learning phase in today's lesson on the 1807 abolition of the slave trade, where we will be looking at Britain's global efforts to eradicate enslavement after the passing of the Slave Trade Act.

After the Slave Trade Act of 1807, the British Navy played a crucial role in enforcing the abolition of the Transatlantic Slave Trade.

The Royal Navy controlled the Atlantic and intercepted slave ships, yet it still took over another half a century to completely suppress the trade.

At its peak in the 1840s and '50s, the campaign involved up to 36 ships and over 4,000 sailors.

Over the years, the Royal Navy intercepted numerous slave ships and freed many Africans who were being transported in horrific conditions.

These people were either repatriated, meaning sent back to their own country or taken to live in British colonies where slavery was outlawed.

The efforts of the British Navy were a significant part of the broader movement to end the Transatlantic Slave Trade and slavery around the world, reflecting a complete shift in British policy and attitudes towards this inhumane practise.

Thanks to the 1807 Slave Trade Act, Britain had gone from being one of the main perpetrators of enslavement to one of its biggest critics and enemies.

A quick check now.

In what year was the Slave Trade Act passed? A, 1607? B, 1707? C, 1807? Or D, 1907? Pause the video while you come to a decision, and press play when you are ready to continue.

Welcome back.

Well done if you identified the correct answer as C.

The Slave Trade Act was passed in 1807.

Next, I'd like you to put the events on the screen into chronological order, starting with the earliest.

Press pause and then return to this video when you are happy with how you've arranged the events.

Hello again, and well done if you arrange the events on the screen in the following chronological order.

At first, Britain invaded Saint-Domingue to re-establish enslavement there.

Next, British troops having been defeated, returned from Saint-Domingue.

Then, William Wilberforce pressured Parliament to pass the 1807 Slave Trade Act.

And finally, Britain used the Royal Navy to enforce the abolition of slavery throughout the Atlantic.

And now it's time for our final written task for today.

I'd like you to explain the role of the British Royal Navy in the abolition of the Transatlantic Slave Trade after the 1807 Slave Trade Act.

Pause the video while you complete your piece of writing, and then press play when you are ready for model answer.

Welcome back.

I asked you to explain the role of the British Royal Navy in the abolition of the Transatlantic Slave Trade after the 1807 Slave Trade Act.

Well done if your answer sounded anything like this.

After the 1807 Slave Trade Act, the British Navy enforced abolition by intercepting slave ships in the Atlantic.

This continued for over half a century, with the Royal Navy deploying up to 36 ships and over 4,000 sailors at its peak in the 1840s and 1850s.

They rescued many enslaved Africans from horrific conditions, either repatriating them or settling them in British colonies.

These actions helped to end the slave trade worldwide, marking a significant shift in British policy and attitudes.

From being a major perpetrator of slavery, Britain became one of its biggest critics and opponents.

With that, we've reached the end of today's lesson.

But before we finish, let's summarise the key learning points that we've been going through.

We began by learning that Britain believed they were fighting for freedom against Napoleon's tyranny, leading them to question the morality of their actions in Saint-Domingue and for increasing calls for abolition.

We then learned that some pro-abolition Britons drew comparisons between poor working conditions at home and the plight of enslaved people on plantations as both working systems enriched British elites whilst exploiting workers.

And finally, we learned that the Slave Trade Act was passed in 1807, banning the buying, selling and transportation of enslaved humans throughout the British Empire.

The British Navy enforced this, policing the Atlantic, capturing slave ships and freeing those held on board.

Thanks for joining me for our lesson today.

It's been a pleasure to guide you through our history resources.

And I look forward to seeing you again in the future as we analyse the extent of the effect of the Haitian Revolution on abolition in France, Britain, and America.