The Act outlawed slavery throughout the British Empire although the impact took a long time to be felt. There were also some exceptions such as in areas controlled by the East India Company.
The ship’s insurers refused to pay out for the deaths of the slaves and the ensuing court cases found that the killing of slaves was legal in some situations.
On the 9th March 1841, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that captive Africans who had seized control of the Amistad ship had been taken into slavery illegally and were therefore free under American law.
On the 29th November 1781, the crew of the slave ship Zong threw the first of at least 132 African slaves overboard in a massacre intended to allow them to cash in their insurance policy.
28th June 2015
11th November 2022
11th November 2022
9th November 2019
