William Wilberforce

William Wilberforce was born in Wilberforce House on 24th August 1759 William Wilberforce was born in Wilberforce House on 24th August 1759. When Wilberforce left university he became a politician. Not long after, he became a Christian. He met some other Christians who told him about the slave trade and slavery and how they wanted to stop it.

At the time Wilberforce lived, Britain was heavily involved in the slave trade. Ships would sail to Africa and take people from their homes and make them slaves. They were shackled, loaded onto ships and transported to America. Then they would be sold. The conditions were terrible. Many people died on the journey

Wilberforce wanted to stop the slave trade by getting the British government to change the law. At first he was worried about saying anything because he knew lots of the MPs made money from the slave trade. A lot of MPs didn’t like what he said. He made many enemies. Even the King didn’t like him. But many ordinary people in Britain thought he was right and joined his protests. They stopped buying sugar that was made by slaves so the MPs would lose their money.

Wilberforce made his first speech to stop slavery in 1789 Wilberforce made his first speech to stop slavery in 1789. For many years, he made speeches and presented petitions to Parliament but they wouldn’t change the law. He kept trying. Nearly 20 years later, in 1807, the Abolition of the Slave Trade Bill was finally passed and it became illegal in Britain to buy and sell people. Parliament gave a round of applause to Wilberforce who had tears running down his face.