Amelioration

Lesson At the end of the lesson students should be able to:

Objectives Define the term Amelioration using your own words

Outline at least (3) three aims of amelioration

Examine at least (3) three features of amelioration.

Assess the reasons for the failure of amelioration e

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What do you think
the term
Amelioration means ?

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Amelioration definition
‘’Amelioration’’ is loosely translated it means making the slave system
better.
Amelioration refers to the efforts of the Imperial government to improve
the situation of the enslaved people in its colonies during the decade
between 1823-1834.
Who proposed amelioration
 Amelioration was first proposed by abolitionist groups who sought to vehemently to bring
about emancipation in the British West Indies. In 1823, a new abolition society called the
‘’London Society for the Mitigation and Gradual Abolition of Slavery’’ was formed and led by
Thomas Fowell-Buxton.
  
 They asked the British government to support amelioration but were undermined by the West
India interest.
 In an attempt to forestall or undermine the Society’s attempt and prevent the abolition of
slavery, the 15 members of the West India Interest quickly formed a committee and formulated
their own amelioration proposals which were submitted to Lord Bathurst, the Secretary of State
for the colonies.

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Why do you think the pro-slavery
groups wanted to propose amelioration?

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The pro-slavery groups proposed
amelioration:
By formulating their own amelioration proposals, the pro-slavery group felt
that they would be able to:
 Appease the humanitarians thus,
 Undermine the efforts of the abolitionists
 Forestall their movement
 Prolong slavery: by stalling the anti-slavery movement they believed that
this would prolong the existence of slavery.
 Prolong the life span of the slaves

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 What do you think were some of the proposals that
could improve the lives of the Slaves?

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Amelioration proposal
 No slave women should be whipped.
 A male slave who was whipped should be given one day’s notice before the punishment was
administered.
 All floggings that exceeded three strokes/lashes were to be recorded by estate officials and
the records submitted every three months to a magistrate.
 Slave families were not to be split up by traders selling family members to different owners.
 Slaves could not be sold to pay off debts

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Amelioration proposal
 Planters were no longer to frustrate or prevent the missionaries or other clergy men from
preaching to the slaves, so the Africans could be converted to Christianity.
 Slaves should have a legal right to give evidence in court, once sponsored by a member of
the clergy.
 Saving banks were to be set up for the slaves to encourage thrifting and enable slaves to
purchase personal possessions.

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French Amelioration
Unlike the British, the French amelioration was not driven
by public opinion but by political concerns. Pre-dominantly
it was the slave rebellions (Martinique in 1822, 1824, 1833
and the Haitian Revolution) that motivated the French
amelioration policy.

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 Why do you think Amelioration failed?
Reasons for Amelioration failure
1. Planter strongly opposed the amelioration proposals
2. Planters felt that these proposals would undermine their
authority
3. Not enough officials to supervise the implementation of the
proposals
4. Planters claimed that the conditions were already good

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Evaluation

1. Explain the meaning of the term “Amelioration” using their own words.
2. Describe (3) reasons for amelioration
3. State (3) amelioration proposals
4. Examine (3) reasons that contributed to the failure of amelioration.

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