In which year was the Emancipation Act signed into law?
The abolition of slavery in the British Empire was a gradual process, not a single event. The transatlantic slave trade, which transported enslaved Africans to the Americas, was outlawed in 1807. However, owning slaves remained legal. The movement to fully abolish slavery gained momentum in the early 19th century, driven by religious groups, reformers, and former slaves themselves. The Emancipation Act of 1833 finally made the purchase or ownership of slaves illegal throughout the British Empire. It came into effect on 1 August 1834, freeing over 800,000 enslaved Africans in the Caribbean, South Africa, and Canada. While the Act is a landmark piece of legislation, it's important to remember that it also provided compensation to former slave owners for their "loss of property," a controversial aspect of the law. So, while 1807 is related to the abolition movement, it only refers to the slave trade, not the ownership of slaves. The correct answer is 1833 because that's the year the Emancipation Act was signed into law, effectively ending slavery in most of the British Empire.
The key legislation that abolished slavery in the British Empire came into effect in the early 19th century. Think closer to the middle of the century.