Abolition and Emancipation

Things to do

There are three images in the resources. The first two (11A and 11B) come from the fight against the slave trade. The third one (11C) is a celebration of the complete emancipation of the slaves in 1838. All three were designed and produced by British artists.

11A – Wedgwood medallion

1. Begin with the Wedgwood medallion (11A). Write a list of the emotions that you think this was meant to stir up in viewers.
2. What things about the design do you think would have helped to catch people’s attention?
3. How effective is the slogan? What is its meaning? Tip. Try writing what the slogan is saying in your own words. Can you do it without using a lot of words?
4. The Wedgwood medallion started a campaigning tradition that we still use today. It was completely new in the 1780s to use a fashionable piece of jewellery to declare your support for a political ideal, but now we frequently do this. Make a list of recent campaigns where people have publicly declared their beliefs through wearing an accessory or item of jewellery or clothing.
   
   11B – Painting celebrating the end of the slave trade, 1807
   
   
5. Next, look at the watercolour painting (11B). Begin by making a list of all the symbols and visual and textual clues you can find in it, such as the British lion, the scales of justice, the bust of Wilberforce.
6. In one or two sentences write a summary of the message or story that the picture is telling.
   
   11C – Print celebrating emancipation, 1838
   
   
7. Now look at the print celebrating emancipation (11C). As before, write a list of the symbols and other visual clues in it. What is the central message of this illustration?
8. What do you think is the significance of the woman and the children in the print? What benefit does their presence suggest that the ending of slavery will bring.
9. Which book do you think is shown by the woman’s side and why is it there? Which other benefits or changes does the book promise will come with the end of slavery?
   
   Questions about all three images
   
   
10. How are Africans represented in the three images? What does the position of the African man in the Wedgwood medallion suggest to you? Is he pleading for assistance? Is he rising up to seize control?
11. Many people today do not like the kneeling slave image to be used to illustrate the fight against slavery. Why do you think some people would not see it as a positive image?
12. Where are the Africans in the painting commemorating the abolition of the slave trade? What significance might this have? How does it suggest the artist viewed the fight to end the slave trade? Who did he think was most important?
13. Look at the central African man in the emancipation print. Was the artist expecting viewers to connect him to the man in the Wedgwood medallion? If so, how?