| Popis: |
This chapter provides an overview of the evolution of the freedom principle in England during the period 1650–1800. It first sketches the historiography of the black presence in England during this time. I then discuss how common law courts and writers dealt with questions of slavery before 1772. I proceed by discussing the landmark case of Somerset v. Stewart, as well as the various interpretations of the case. Finally, I provide a short overview of the situation post-Somerset, up until the abolition of slavery across the British Empire in 1834. |
