Slave Trade Act 1807

E12769

The Slave Trade Act 1807 was a landmark British law that made the transatlantic slave trade illegal throughout the British Empire, marking a major victory for the abolitionist movement.


Statements (48)
Predicate Object
instanceOf Act of Parliament of the United Kingdom
abolitionist legislation
aimedTo end British participation in the transatlantic slave trade
appliesTo British colonies
British ports
British ships
cameIntoForce 1807-05-01
category 1807 in British law
Abolitionism in the United Kingdom
Slavery legislation
country United Kingdom
dateOfRoyalAssent 1807-03-25
doesNotAbolish slavery within the British Empire
enforcedBy Royal Navy
enforcedInRegion West African coast
followedBy Slave Trade Act 1824
Slave Trade Act 1843
historicalSignificance major victory for the British abolitionist movement
marked the legal end of British participation in the transatlantic slave trade
influenced international abolitionist efforts
inspired Royal Navy West Africa Squadron enforcement
subsequent anti-slave-trade treaties
jurisdiction British Empire
keySupporter Granville Sharp
Henry Brougham
Thomas Clarkson
William Wilberforce
language English
legalForm statute
legalStatusOfSlaveTrade illegal in the British Empire after 1807
legislativeBody Parliament of the United Kingdom
locationOfPassage Westminster
longTitle An Act for the Abolition of the Slave Trade
madeTransatlanticSlaveTradeIllegal true
monarchAtEnactment George III
partOf British abolition of the Atlantic slave trade
penalty fines
forfeiture of ships
imprisonment
precededBy earlier failed abolition bills
prohibited British involvement in the transatlantic slave trade
carrying enslaved Africans in British ships
reign George III
relatedTo Slavery Abolition Act 1833
shortTitle Slave Trade Act 1807
subjectMatter abolition of the slave trade
supportedBy Society for Effecting the Abolition of the Slave Trade
yearEnacted 1807


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