Portugal was the pioneer of the transatlantic slave trade; the ruler of both Brazil and Angola - the all time champions of that trade -; and one of the last western countries to decree the abolition of slaving institutions. Paradoxically; and in spite of the overwhelming number of works devoted to the problems of slavery produced in recent decades; little was known about the way Portugal dealt with the twilight of the age of slavery and; most of all; with abolitionism. This book offers the first study of the abolition of the Portuguese slave trade; covering the period from the end of the eighteenth century to the mid-1860s; and bringing to life a dark and silenced corner in the history of the odious commerce. Based on a thorough examination of Portuguese and British historical sources - most of them never used before -; and on his awareness of the international scholarship in the field in which he writes; it investigates not only the Portuguese pro and anti-abolitionist attitudes but also the underlying ideologies; and whether and how those attitudes and ideologies changed over time and in the light of events in the political; economic and social spheres.
#1667283 in Books University of South Carolina Press 2006-04-01Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.02 x .61 x 5.98l; .92 #File Name: 1570036179272 pages
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