Latest / The Atlantic Slave Trade: Empire Built on Human Suffering — Fexingo History
The Zong Massacre: Law, Slavery, and Insurance Fraud
In 1781, the slave ship Zong threw over 130 enslaved Africans into the Atlantic to save water. This episode examines how the owners filed an insurance claim for the lost 'cargo,' leading to a landmark legal case in London that treated human beings as mere property. We explore the testimony of Granville Sharp, the abolitionist who fought to have the crew prosecuted for murder, and the chilling judgment of Lord Mansfield, which prioritized commercial law over human life. The story reveals the cold mechanics of the transatlantic economy, where profit margins were calculated against…
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