THE Bill Aberdeen Law was enacted on August 8, 1845 by England prohibiting the African slave trade.
In this way, the British navy pursued, intercepted and imprisoned the slave ships that transported slaves across the South Atlantic.
Once the boat was captured, the slaves were returned to Africa and landed in regions such as Sierra Leone or Liberia.
Summary
The Aberdeen Law is named after the law's author, Lord Aberdeen (1784-1860), British Foreign Minister. The full name of the law, in English, is SlavetradesuppressionAct” or “AberdeenAct” (Slave Trade Suppression Act or Aberdeen Act).
The Aberdeen Act prohibited the slave trade in the Southern Hemisphere. In this way, any ship that left Africa and arrived on the American continent could be intercepted by the British navy.
This resolution contributed to the creation of abolitionist laws in Brazil that aimed at freeing slave labor.
Under the influence of the Aberdeen Law, the Eusébio de Queirós law was created, which definitively prohibited the slave trade to the country.
The imposition of England caused revolt, because some British ships even invaded Brazilian territorial waters to pursue the traffickers. Despite this, the event did not trigger a war between the countries involved.
This is because Brazil was going through economic and social crises during the reign of Dom Pedro II (1825-1891). During this period, abolitionism grew and abolitionists united to fight slave labor in the country. In turn, the government began to control the process of extinction of slave labor.
Background
The United Kingdom had outlawed slavery in its colonies in 1807 and had been pressuring Portugal to do the same ever since.
In this way, it conditions its aid to Portugal, during the Napoleonic invasions in 1808, to the extinction of the slave trade and slavery.
With the independence of Brazil in 1822, Dom Pedro I began to receive the same kind of pressure. Thus, the 1826 Treaty signed by Dom Pedro I and Jorge IV, King of Great Britain.
This document proposed an end to the slave trade. However, it had no effect as the country continued to import enslaved human beings.
Read the 1st Article of this Treaty:
"Finished three years after the exchange of Ratifications of this Treaty (**), it will not be open to the Subdicts of the Empire of Brazil to trade in slaves on the Costa d'Africa, under any pretext, or any way whatever.
And the continuation of this Commercio, made after the said period, by any person subordinate to His Imperial Majesty, will be considered, and treated as piracy.”
During the regency period, in 1831, the Regent Feijó managed to pass the law that would set free any African brought to Brazil as a slave. This law would go down in history as the Feijó Law.
Disgruntled, years later England imposed the ban through the Aberdeen Act.
Abolitionist Laws
In order to abolish slavery so as not to pay damages to the owners and not provoke a civil war, the Brazilian government sanctioned a series of abolitionist laws.
Eusébio de Queirós Law
After 5 years of the Aberdeen Act, it was enacted on September 4, 1850, the Eusébio de Queirós Law which prohibited the slave trade in Brazil.
With his approval, the internal slave trade between Brazilian provinces increased significantly.
The Eusébio de Queirós Law is considered one of the first steps towards abolition of slavery, which took place in 1888, with the Law Golden, signed by Princess Isabel.
Before the signing of the Lei Áurea, other abolitionist laws were essential for this purpose to be achieved, namely:
- law of the free womb (1871): which freed children born to slave mothers from the date.
- Sexagenarian Law (1885): which freed slaves over 65 years of age.
slavery in Brazil
Remember that slavery in Brazil lasted about 300 years and was one of the last countries in America to ban this practice.
Since 1500, when the Portuguese arrived to explore the lands of America, they began to negotiate with the Indians. As they became fixed, they enslaved them; however, they were gradually replaced by African slaves.
For many decades, Africans were the main labor force in the colony, actively participating in the country's economy.
The sanction of the Aberdeen Law was a big problem for Brazilians and Portuguese as the slave trade was very profitable for both parties.
The event caused numerous revolts among the English, Brazilians and Portuguese, who are already threatening to close the ports, places where slaves were disembarked.
It is important to note that the English were inspired by Enlightenment and economic liberalism. In addition, in the country the Industrial Revolution and with that, new forms of paid work.
As such, it was important for England to end slave labor around the world, because it made production cheaper and competed with its Caribbean possessions.
The idea was to free the slaves for religious and humanitarian reasons, and also for agricultural production to be carried out in the same way around the world.
read more:
- Abolitionism
- Enlightenment
