Denmark Abolishes the Slave Trade
At a glance:
- Series: Chronology of European History
- Categories: Government and Politics, Social Issues, Reform, and Protest
- Subcategories: Slavery, Slaves, Laws, Acts, Legislation, Human Rights, Abolition movement, Abolitionists
- Curriculum: 18th Century European History, Scandinavian History
- Geographical Location: Scandinavia, Denmark
- Date: March 16, 1792
Article abstract: Denmark abolishes the slave trade, becoming the first European nation to do so.
Summary of Event
On March 16, 1792, King Christian VII of Denmark signed an ordinance banning the slave trade in his country and its colonies. Slave owners would be allowed ten more years to transport slaves from Africa, however, so that they might have an adequate supply of slaves on hand once the ban went into effect. Despite this provision the king’s order represented a major step forward in the movement to ensure better treatment for slaves and an...
[The entire page is 1619 words long]
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