1781day.year
The crew of the British slave ship Zong murders 54 Africans by dumping them into the sea to claim insurance, beginning the Zong massacre.
Crew of the British slave ship Zong murders 54 African captives by throwing them overboard to claim insurance, igniting outrage that fueled the abolitionist movement.
On November 29, 1781, the crew of the British slave ship Zong deliberately threw 54 African captives into the sea.
They sought to claim insurance compensation for 'lost cargo' when the ship faced shortages.
News of the massacre reached London and shocked public opinion.
The subsequent court case brought moral questions about slavery and insurance law to the fore.
Campaigners like Granville Sharp used the outrage to advance the abolitionist cause.
The Zong case became a symbol of the inhumanity of the transatlantic slave trade and influenced its eventual legal end.
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Zong massacre