William Wilberforce and the abolition of the British slave tradeWilliam Wilberforce, a member of the British Parliament, led a battle against Parliament to end the slave trade, a brutal and inhumane affairs. This was not an easy feat to achieve, it lasted almost 20 years and many obstacles were faced throughout the period. With tenacity and perseverance, he and others he worked with, were able to outlaw the slave trade in Great Britain. Not only did it influence its time period, but it had a lasting effect on other societies, starting a movement to abolish slavery. The British slave trade was a major part of the British economy and was widespread at the time, especially among the upper class. Slavery was a highly accepted and legal practice. The thought of abolition at that time was unheard of. The amount of racism in the 18th century was very high. Little to know, a revolutionary movement by a young member of Parliament named William Wilberforce, would change British history forever. William Wilberforce became a member of the British Parliament at the age of twenty-one and became Speaker of the House of Commons. , one of the highest parliamentary positions, at the age of twenty-four. He came from a wealthy family who was very rich. He and the rest of his family were considered to be among the political elite. At the age of 17 he enrolled at Cambridge. A good description of him is that a young man was a guy who loved to party and stay out late. Even during his first years in Parliament he had no moral compass or firm values. He was an “upper class non-believer.” He was a lost and confused man. It wasn't until she met Isaac Milner, a well-rounded... middle of paper... man who has his own free will and will fight for what is right. Everyone goes with the flow and does what is socially acceptable. With the guidance of faith, Wilberforce was able to make a big difference with a little hard work and perseverance. He is a true hero in British history. Bibliography Metaxas, Eric. Amazing Grace: William Wilberforce and the Heroic Campaign to End Slavery. New York, NY: HarperSanFrancisco, 2007. Print."Abolition of Slavery and the Slave Trade." Abolish foreignness. Np, nd Web. 08 Apr. 2014. “William Wilberforce and the Campaign to End Slavery – Reformation Society.” Reform Society. Np, nd Web. 08 Apr. 2014. “Motivation Matters: The Great Leader Series No. 24 – William Wilberforce.” Motivation matters - The Great Leader series n. 24 - William Wilberforce. Np, nd Web. 08 April. 2014.