Mia Richmond - Symposium Notes - Slaves - 1817-1852 ? 1817-1830 Did the Northern States abolish slavery? between 1774 and 1804 Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay In 1791, 163 members of the Commons voted against abolition. Very few MPs have attempted to defend trade on moral grounds. Instead, they called attention to the various economic and political reasons that support it. Those who profited from the trade had a vested interest and understood that ending the slave trade jeopardized the entire plantation operation. “The property of the West Indians is at stake,” declared one lawmaker, “and, while men may be generous with their own property, they should not be generous with the property of others.” The abolition of British trade could also give France an economic and naval advantage. In 1783 British Quakers established the Anti-Slavery Committee which played a considerable role in abolition. May 12, 1789 was apparently out of season for abolition. Sixty members of the West Indies lobby were present, and supporters of the trade had already called abolition a "crazy, wild and fanatical plan of enthusiasts". of trade which was not with the West Indies. The bill, although in the interests of the West Indies, also did much to enable the decision of 1807. The final vote, 283-16, for the total abolition of the trade occurred in 1807. The bill was passed into law on March 25 and was in effect January 1, 1808. Underground railroad? 1780-1830 - onwards America is obviously not the nation the slaves want, so they have to escape. Free blacks and other Northerners opposed to slavery helped fugitive slaves escape from Southern plantations to the North using a loose network of safe houses starting in the 1780s. This was known as the Underground Railroad. It gained momentum in the 1830s, and although different estimates exist, it may have helped 40,000 to 100,000 slaves achieve freedom. The success of the Underground Railroad helped expand abolitionist beliefs in the North. It also increased regional tensions, convincing pro-slavery Southerners of their Northerners' determination to defeat the institution that supported it. Gabriel Prosser in Richmond leads a slave revolt? 1800 Gabriel Prosser, was an intelligent and cultured slave blacksmith who organized a significant slave rebellion in the Richmond region in the summer of 1800. Details about the revolt were leaked before his execution, resulting in Gabriel and twenty-five followers being taken prisoner and hanged as punishment. In response, Virginia and other state legislatures established restrictions on free blacks, as well as made efforts to ban the education, assembly, and hiring of slaves, to limit their opportunities to learn, and to plan similar rebellions. Gabriel planned the revolt during the spring and summer of 1800. On August 30, 1800, Gabriel intended to lead the slaves to Richmond, but the rebellion was postponed due to rain. The slave masters were suspicious of the revolt, and two slaves informed their owner of the plans. He, in turn, informed the governor of Virginia, James Monroe, who explained it to the state militia. Gabriel fled down the river to Norfolk, but there he was spotted and betrayed by another slave for the reward offered by the state. That slave did not even receive the full reward. Gabriel was brought back to Richmond for questioning, but did not surrender. Gabriel, his two brothers and 23 other slaves.