List of abolitionist forerunners facts for kids
The fight to end slavery, known as abolitionism, was a long journey. Many brave people worked for centuries to stop this terrible practice. An English pioneer named Thomas Clarkson (1760–1846) created a special "map" in 1808. This map showed all the different people and groups who helped lead the way to the British Parliament banning the slave trade in 1807.
Clarkson's map was very important, but it didn't include everyone. For example, many women like Hannah More, Joanna Baillie, and Anna Laetitia Barbauld were deeply involved in the movement, but they aren't on his list. Also, James Oglethorpe, who helped ban slavery in the Province of Georgia very early on, isn't there either. Oglethorpe later worked with Granville Sharp, whom Clarkson called "the father of the cause in England." The Georgia Colony actually banned slavery in 1735, which was a big deal at the time.
Many other important people who fought against slavery might not be on Clarkson's map. This article will look at some of the key figures he included and others who also played a vital role.
Contents
Clarkson's Map of Abolitionists
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Thomas Clarkson's map showed the "forerunners and coadjutors" – meaning the people who came before and those who worked alongside him. It was like a family tree of the anti-slavery movement. Here's a simplified look at some of the people he included:
Early Thinkers and Leaders (Before 1787)
Many people from different backgrounds spoke out against slavery long before it was banned. These included powerful rulers and thinkers:
- Cardinal Ximenes
- Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor
- Elizabeth I (Queen of England)
- Pope Leo X
- Louis XIII (King of France)
- Richard Baxter: A famous English Puritan church leader.
- Morgan Godwin: An English priest who wrote about the evils of slavery.
- Richard Steele: An Irish writer and politician.
- Montesquieu: A French philosopher who wrote about political freedom.
- Alexander Pope: A well-known English poet.
- James Thomson: A Scottish poet.
- Francis Hutcheson: An Irish philosopher.
- Rousseau: A famous Swiss philosopher.
- Adam Smith: A Scottish economist and philosopher.
- Laurence Sterne: An Irish novelist.
- William Warburton: An English bishop and writer.
- Granville Sharp: A very important English abolitionist, considered a founder of the movement.
- James Beattie: A Scottish poet and philosopher.
- John Wesley: The founder of Methodism, a Christian movement. He strongly opposed slavery.
- David Hartley: A British politician who supported abolition.
- Guillaume Thomas François Raynal: A French writer.
- Dr. William Paley: An English philosopher.
- Thomas Day: An English writer.
- Bishop Porteus: An English bishop.
- William Cowper: A famous English poet.
- James Ramsay: A Scottish doctor and minister who wrote about the horrors of slavery.
- Jacques Necker: A Swiss banker and French finance minister.
- Edward Rushton: An English poet and abolitionist.
Early Quakers in England
The Quakers, a religious group, were among the first to speak out against slavery as a group.
- George Fox: A founder of the Quaker movement.
- William Edmundson: An early Quaker leader in Ireland.
Quakers and Abolitionists in America (from 1688)
Quakers in America also played a huge role in fighting slavery.
- David Cooper: An American Quaker abolitionist.
- Benjamin Lay: An American Quaker who was very outspoken against slavery.
- John Woolman: An American Quaker who traveled widely to convince people to oppose slavery.
- Anthony Benezet: A French-American Quaker who wrote many anti-slavery pamphlets.
- Warner Mifflin: An American Quaker who freed his own slaves.
- Judge Sewel: An American judge who wrote one of the earliest anti-slavery pamphlets in America.
- Benjamin Rush: An American doctor and signer of the Declaration of Independence, who supported abolition.
- George Whitefield: An English Anglican preacher who traveled to America.
Other Important Abolitionists in England and America
Many other influential people joined the cause, working together to end slavery.
- Benjamin Franklin: A famous American Founding Father who became an abolitionist.
- Thomas Jefferson: An American Founding Father and President.
- John Jay: An American Founding Father and the first Chief Justice of the United States.
- William Dillwyn: An American Quaker who moved to England and helped the abolitionist movement there.
- David Barclay: A wealthy English Quaker banker.
- Joseph Gurney Bevan: An English Quaker pharmacist and writer.
- Joseph Hancock: A Quaker who helped Clarkson publish his important essay against slavery.
Key Figures Leading to the 1787 Movement
These individuals were crucial in building the movement that led to the ban on the slave trade.
- Dr. Peckard: An English churchman.
- Thomas Clarkson: The English abolitionist who made the map. He dedicated his life to ending the slave trade.
- William Wilberforce: A British politician who led the fight against the slave trade in Parliament.
- Sir Charles Middleton: A British naval officer who supported abolition.
- Sir Richard Hill: A British Member of Parliament.
Abolition Forerunners Not on Clarkson's Map
Even though Clarkson's map was detailed, it couldn't include everyone. Many other people and groups helped set the stage for the abolitionist movement. For example, intellectual groups in London in the 1770s discussed anti-slavery ideas, which helped spread awareness.
Here are some important figures not on Clarkson's map:
- Magnus IV of Sweden: A Swedish king who issued a law against slavery in the 14th century.
- Joanna Baillie: A Scottish poet and playwright.
- Anna Laetitia Barbauld: An English poet and essayist.
- Samuel Johnson: A famous English writer and literary figure.
- Hannah More: An English religious writer and philanthropist.
- James Oglethorpe: The founder of the Georgia Colony, who initially banned slavery there.
- Olaudah Equiano: A former enslaved person who bought his freedom and wrote a famous book about his experiences, becoming a powerful voice against slavery.
