Who are these hero’s, and what have they done?

Does anyone know who this man is?

William Wilberforce 1759-1833

Who was William Wilberforce?

1759 – William was born in Hull, in the North of England. He was the son of a rich merchant.

1776- Attended St John’s College Cambridge, Whilst at university he became friendly with William Pitt, who would later become Britain's youngest Prime Minister.

1780 – Became MP of Hull at age of 21, after graduating from Cambridge university.

Call to Christianity

• 1784 – William went on tour of Europe.

• William Started to question his beliefs and converted from attending the Methodist church to becoming an evangelical Christian.

• However, William struggled to realise if “one can serve God and one’s nation in parliament.”

• many politicians lie, cheat, and abuse their level of power in society. William knew this wasn’t what a Christian should do.

• William decided that he could be a different type of politician, one that promote Christian values to make the world a better place. One way William tried to do this was tackling the problem of slavery.

Slavery

What is a slave?

“A slave is a person who is owned by someone else. They have no choice, no freedom and no money. Slaves have to do the work their master tells them, they may be punished for not following orders.”

Treatment of slaves on the slave shipsSlaves were brought from Africa to Britain on Slave Ships

• They were chained, left crippled for life.• Starved.• Suffered from disease due to cramped conditions.• In order to make more money the traders world fatten the slaves

up and cover them in oil before they were sold, to try and hide their ill health.

• They believed they were “rescuing” the slaves from execution after being captured in African wars.

• Slave trade generated large amount of wealth for Britain – in 1807 in made 17 million in Liverpool alone. Many say slavery earned the equivalent to todays IT market.

• Slaves are human beings and should be treated with respect.

• St Paul in the New Testament says that “All men are equal” regardless of skin colour.

• “Love they neighbour as they self”

• Jesus’ Golden rule in Matthew also states, “do onto others, as you would have others do onto you.”

Struggle

• For 18 long years Parliament would not pass Wilberforce’s act.

• Time of depression –Wilberforce suffered a nervous breakdown.

Victory• 1807 – Parliament made the trading of slaves

in the British Empire Illegal but slavery was not abolished, and those who owned slaves were still allowed to keep them.

• 1833 – Parliament decided to abolish slave trade altogether by the Slavery Abolition Act.

• 800,000 slaves were given their freedom back.

Success• Wilberforce is one of the most influential

characters of his time• He shows that perseverance works.• He displayed the values of a true Christian, that

everyone is equal in God’s eyes.

Death

• 1833 – Died 3 days after the Act was passed.• Buried in West Minister Abby alongside his friend William Pitt.

Slavery Today

•In El Salvador a country in North America 440,000 children are denied their right to a childhood and forced into work at a young age.

•These children work in the markets and rubbish dumps. They work long hours, often in dangerous conditions where they are vulnerable to abuse and disease and denied an education.