Latest / The Atlantic Slave Trade: Empire Built on Human Suffering — Fexingo History
The Zong Massacre Trial: Insurance Fraud and the Law of Slavery
In November 1781, the slave ship Zong was forced to abandon its course for Jamaica due to a lack of fresh water. The crew made the calculated decision to throw 132 enslaved Africans overboard, believing that their owners’ marine insurance would cover the loss of cargo rather than the death of human beings. This episode explores the subsequent legal battle in London, where abolitionists fought not just on moral grounds, but against a sophisticated defense that framed the atrocity as a necessary commercial sacrifice. We examine the role of Granville Sharp, the judges’ narrow interpretation of…
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