Privy Council Publishes Review of Slave Trade
The Privy Council publishes its review of the slave trade.
Observations on the Slave Trade, and a Description of some part of the Coast of Guinea
The Swedish explorer Carl Bernhard Wadström publishes Observations on the Slave Trade, and a Description of some part of the Coast of Guinea in London. The work excited much interest and William Wilberforce drew upon it in his parliamentary speeches.
Parliament Adjourns Slave Trade Debate
Parliament adjourns debate on the slave trade.
Storming of the Bastille in Paris
In Paris, the storming of the Bastille marks a new radical phase in the ongoing French Revolution. The revolutionaries’ demand for ‘Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity’ would be taken up by enslaved people throughout France’s colonies and beyond.
James Ramsay Dies in London
Death of James Ramsay in London, reportedly from illness brought on by exhaustion caused by attacks on his reputation from slaveholders.
Maryland Society for Promoting the Abolition of Slavery
The Maryland Society for Promoting the Abolition of Slavery and the Relief of Free Negroes and Others Unlawfully Held in Bondage is founded.
Maryland Declines to End Slave Export
Maryland denies Quaker requests to end the exportation of slaves.
U.S. Constitution Replaces Articles of Confederation
U.S. Constitution officially replaced the Articles of Confederation when the first Federal Congress assembled in New York.