THE SUPPRESSION OF TRANS-ATLANTIC SLAVE TRADE AND EUROPEAN EXPLORERS’ ACTIVITIES.
The intention to suppress slave trade started in the late 18th century in Britain when Granville Sharp (one of the reformers) kicked against the trade. Hence, the political agitations there gingered the blacks and a declaration that slave trade was an illegal trade emerged in 1772. And by 1807, the illegality of slave trade was actualized in Britain. Consequently, other countries followed suit, viz:
- U.S.A. abolished slave trade in 1808.
- Sweden – 1813
- Holland – 1814
- France – 1815
- Spain – 1816
- Portugal – 1817
However, slavery was abolished in Britain in 1833 and in 1837, Britain set up the West African Squadron to enforce the anti-slavery trade law on the coast of Africa.
They entered into treaties with several nations in West Africa just to checkmate the buying and selling of slaves in the area. Finally, there was a gradual shift to cultivation in place of the slave trade.