Freedom's Debt
The Royal African Company and the Politics of the Atlantic Slave Trade, 1672-1752
By William A. Pettigrew | Publisher: Omohundro Institute and UNC Press
About the book
In the years following the Glorious Revolution, independent slave traders challenged the charter of the Royal African Company by asserting their natural rights as Britons to trade freely in enslaved Africans. In this comprehensive history of the rise and fall of the RAC, William A. Pettigrew grounds the transatlantic slave trade in politics, not economic forces, analyzing the ideological arguments of the RAC and its opponents in Parliament and in public debate. Ultimately, Pettigrew powerfully reasons that freedom became the rallying cry for those who wished to participate in the slave trade and therefore bolstered the expansion of the largest intercontinental forced migration in history.
Unlike previous histories of the RAC, Pettigrew’s study pursues the Company’s story beyond the trade’s complete deregulation in 1712 to its demise in 1752. Opening the trade led to its escalation, which provided a reliable supply of enslaved Africans to the mainland American colonies, thus playing a critical part in entrenching African slavery as the colonies' preferred solution to the American problem of labor supply.
Editions of Freedom's Debt
- Hardcover
- ISBN 9781469611815
- Paperback
- ISBN 9781469629858
- EBook
- ISBN 9781469611839
- EBook
- ISBN 9798890885630
- EBook
- ISBN 9781469611822
- PDF
- ISBN 9798890885623
Read an Excerpt
In the years following the Glorious Revolution, independent slave traders challenged the charter of the Royal African Company by asserting their natural rights as Britons to trade freely in enslaved Africans. In this comprehensive history of the rise and fall of the RAC, William A. Pettigrew grounds the transatlantic slave trade in politics, not economic forces, analyzing the ideological arguments of the RAC and its opponents in Parliament and in public debate. Ultimately, Pettigrew powerfully reasons that freedom became the rallying cry for those who wished to participate in the slave trade and therefore bolstered the expansion of the largest intercontinental forced migration in history.
Unlike previous histories of the RAC, Pettigrew’s study pursues the Company’s story beyond the trade’s complete deregulation in 1712 to its demise in 1752. Opening the trade led to its escalation, which provided a reliable supply of enslaved Africans to the mainland American colonies, thus playing a critical part in entrenching African slavery as the colonies' preferred solution to the American problem of labor supply.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Freedom's Debt about?
In the years following the Glorious Revolution, independent slave traders challenged the charter of the Royal African Company by asserting their natural rights as Britons to trade freely in enslaved Africans. In this comprehensive history of the rise and fall of the RAC, William A. Pettigrew grounds the transatlantic slave trade in politics, not economic forces, analyzing the ideological arguments of the RAC and its opponents in Parliament and in public debate. Ultimately, Pettigrew powerfully reasons that freedom became the rallying cry for those who wished to participate in the slave trade and therefore bolstered the expansion of the largest intercontinental forced migration in history.
Unlike previous histories of the RAC, Pettigrew’s study pursues the Company’s story beyond the trade’s complete deregulation in 1712 to its demise in 1752. Opening the trade led to its escalation, which provided a reliable supply of enslaved Africans to the mainland American colonies, thus playing a critical part in entrenching African slavery as the colonies' preferred solution to the American problem of labor supply.
What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in Freedom's Debt?
History and Archaeology > History > European history
Where can I read a sample of Freedom's Debt?
You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9781469611815
How long is Freedom's Debt and how many pages does it have?
Freedom's Debt has 272 page(s)
Is Freedom's Debt part of a series, and can it be read as a standalone?
Yes it is a part of series Published by the Omohundro Institute of Early American History and Culture and the University of North Carolina Press
Who is/are the Author/s of the book Freedom's Debt?
William A. Pettigrew
What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?
Freedom's Debt is available as hardcover(ISBN 9781469611815) and paperback(ISBN 9781469629858) and ebook(ISBN 9781469611839) and ebook(ISBN 9798890885630) and ebook(ISBN 9781469611822) and pdf(ISBN 9798890885623)
Where can I buy Freedom's Debt online or support local independent bookshops?
You can buy Freedom's Debt from below
Where can I buy Freedom's Debt?