Slavery
He was an early leader of the movement to abolish slavery and helped found the Anti-Slavery Society.
The Abolition of Slavery
He was born in Hull on the 24th August 1759.He was the son of a wealthy merchant.He studied at Cambridge University.In 1780, he became Member of Parliament for Hull, later he represented Yorkshire.He was a deeply religious English MP.He was influenced to act against the slave trade by Thomas ClarksonHe risked everything to speak up for the slaves who couldn't. He said that God made men equal and we should live by thatThe British campaign to abolish slavery started at the beginning of the 1780s. William Wilberforce joined the movement in the mid 1780s. The British government abolished slavery in just three days before he died.His campaign to abolish slavery took 50 years to accomplish.He died on 29th July 1833.In 2004, he was named the greatest ever Yorkshire man because of his driving force behind the abolition of the slave trade.
William Wilberforce was largely responsible for the abolition of slavery in England. Wilberforce was born on 24 August 1759 in Hull, Britain. While studying at Cambridge University, he befriended England's future prime minister, William Pitt the Younger. In 1780, Wilberforce became member of parliament for Hull, later representing Yorkshire. During his twenties, Wilberforce became a Christian, and his motivation for social reforms was largely a by-product of his active and practical Christianity. He was strongly influenced by former slave-trader John Newton, then the leading evangelical Anglican clergyman of the day and Rector of St Mary Woolnoth in the City of London. In 1787, Wilberforce became leader of the parliamentary campaign of the Committee for the Abolition of the Slave Trade. Between 1789 and 1806, he attempted to pass numerous parliamentary bills against the slave trade, but was unsuccessful each time, as many of the members of parliament stood to profit from their own indirect involvement in the trade. In 1806, a change of tactics was suggested by maritime lawyer James Stephen. This involved introducing a bill to ban British subjects from aiding or participating in the slave trade to the French colonies, It was a smart move, as the majority of the ships were flying American flags, though manned by British crews and sailing out of Liverpool. The Foreign Slave Trade Act was quickly passed and the tactic proved successful. The new legislation effectively prohibited two-thirds of the British slave trade. In the long run, many MPs who had benefited from the slave trade lost their financial support, and ultimately their position in parliament. This opened the way for a further attempt to pass an Abolition bill. Further support from Abolitionists enabled the final passing of an Abolition Bill on 23 February 1807. As tributes were made to Wilberforce, who had laboured for the cause during the preceding twenty years, the bill was carried by 283 votes to 16. The Slave Trade Act received the royal assent on 25 March 1807. This Act did not free those who were already slaves; it was not until 1833 that an act was passed giving freedom to all slaves in the British empire. Despite ill health, Wilberforce continued to campaign for social reform, including the improvement of factory conditions in Britain. He was instrumental in the development of the Society for the Suppression of Vice in 1802. He also worked to develop the Association for the Better Observance of Sunday, the aim of which was to provide all children with regular education in reading, personal hygiene and religion. He was closely involved with the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. He was also instrumental in encouraging Christian missionaries to go to India. Wilberforce died on 29 July 1833, shortly after the act to free slaves in the British empire passed through the House of Commons. He was buried near his friend, former Prime Minister William Pitt, in Westminster Abbey.
In Britain the most vocal abolishionist was probably William Wilberforce.
William Wilberforce was just 21 years old when he became member of parliament for Hull, later representing Yorkshire.
he and William wilberforce helped abolish the slave trade by keeping on at the parliament
William Wilberforce helped abolish slavery in England Here is a bio: http://www.brycchancarey.com/abolition/wilberforce.htm
He campaigned against slavery.
in 1883-35
William Wilberforce
William Wilberforce sacrificed many things on his journey abolishing slavery.
William Wilberforce
He did not choose to belong to a political party. He was a member of Parliament, but considered himself an independent, who focused on the cause of ending slavery.
Lots of things convinced parliament to bring this act into place, but I think that the most important factor was the two abolitionists, Thomas Clarkson and William Wilberforce. They travelled the country to collect evidence and visual aids to show to parliament and Thomas wrote a prize winning essay about whether slavery was right or wrong. This evidence was all used in Wilberforce's speech on the 12th May 1789. Wilberforce was a great influence on parliament as he was a high standing MP and was able to bring up very important points. Then after slavery was abolished in England they started pressurising other countries into abolishing slavery too.
He was an early leader of the movement to abolish slavery and helped found the Anti-Slavery Society.