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The Slave Trade, American Independence and War with France

Handle four separate stories without blurring them: slave trade and abolition, American independence, war with France, and the Union Flag.

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In this topic

What to be able to answer

  • Know the abolition sequence and Wilberforce's role.
  • Separate American independence from the wars with France.
  • Recognise the Union Flag components and why Wales is not shown.

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Abolition, revolution and the battles that shaped modern Britain

Topic 11 of 14

The commercial expansion and prosperity of the 18th century was sustained in part by the booming slave trade. While slavery was illegal within Britain itself, by the 18th century it was a fully established overseas industry, dominated by Britain and the American colonies.

Slave trade, independence, France and the flag

This section has four separate stories; do not read it as one continuous war.

Slave trade and abolition

  • Slavery was illegal within Britain but established overseas.
  • Quakers and William Wilberforce helped change public opinion.
  • 1807 made slave trading illegal in British ships and ports.
  • 1833 abolished slavery throughout the British Empire.

American independence

  • The British government tried to tax the colonies.
  • Colonists objected to taxation without representation.
  • 13 colonies declared independence in 1776.
  • Britain recognised independence in 1783.

War with France

  • Trafalgar in 1805 was a British naval victory.
  • Admiral Nelson was killed and HMS Victory is in Portsmouth.
  • Waterloo in 1815 defeated Napoleon.
  • The Duke of Wellington was later Prime Minister.

Union Flag

  • The 1801 union created the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.
  • St George, St Andrew and St Patrick form the Union Flag.
  • The Welsh dragon is absent because Wales was already united with England.
Painting of ships at the Battle of Trafalgar
The Battle of Trafalgar, 1805 — Nelson's famous victory.
HMS Victory in Portsmouth
HMS Victory, Nelson's ship at Trafalgar, can be visited in Portsmouth. Credit: mattbuck (category), CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

How the Union Flag Is Built

Three crosses combine. Wales is the test trap.

England— St George's Cross

Red cross on white

Scotland— St Andrew's Cross

White saltire on blue

Ireland— St Patrick's Cross

Red saltire on white

Union Flag

All three crosses combined

Wales is NOT represented on the Union Flag — Wales was already united with England when the first Union Flag was created in 1606.

Do not mix up

Slave trading was banned in 1807; slavery across the British Empire was abolished in 1833.
American independence is 1776 and 1783; Trafalgar is 1805 and Waterloo is 1815.
The Welsh dragon is absent because Wales was already united with England.

Practise

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Preparing three random questions from this topic.