COVE

Years before slavery was oficially ban on the United Kingdom, the Parliament and the politicals looked for ways to stop the trade of slaves (many understood that this would eventually lead to a ban on slavery, something that happened on the 1830's). The Act pointed to end the Atlantic slave trade on the British Empire, something that it achieve after years of campaign, multiple failed attempts and depstite the fact that slavery was already unsupported on British soil since the 3rd quarter of 18th century. This ban could be considered an important first step for the definitive abolition of slavery on the Empire.

The image here is an anti-slavery medallion that was part of Josiah Wedgwood unsuccesful campaign for prohibiting slave's trade in 1787. Despite not being directly related to the Act of 1807, this image illustrate why the fight against slavery trade was necessary, at the time it demonstrates that even then, people was already trying to make sure that everyone was valued as people, and not as livestock (something that slaves were sometimes considered, either explicitly or implicitly).

Image of Public Domain.