The 1814 Treaty of Ghent and the Illegal Slave Trade

In this episode of The Atlantic Slave Trade: Empire Built on Human Suffering, Lucas and Luna explore the overlooked connection between the War of 1812 and the illegal slave trade. They discuss how the Treaty of Ghent, which ended the war between the United States and Britain, included an article demanding the return of enslaved people taken by British forces. The episode dives into the complex politics of the time, the British offer of freedom to enslaved Americans who escaped to their lines, and the eventual transfer of around 3,000 Black Loyalists to Nova Scotia and Trinidad. Lucas explains the legal battles over compensation and the lasting impact on the Underground Railroad. The conversation highlights key figures like Admiral Alexander Cochrane, who issued the emancipation proclamation, and the role of the Royal Navy's West Africa Squadron in suppressing the slave trade post-1815. Listeners will gain a fresh perspective on how a forgotten clause in a peace treaty shaped the fight against slavery. #TreatyOfGhent #WarOf1812 #SlaveTrade #BlackLoyalists #AlexanderCochrane #NovaScotia #Trinidad #RoyalNavy #WestAfricaSquadron #IllegalSlaveTrade #UndergroundRailroad #BritishEmancipation #USHistory #AtlanticHistory #19thCentury #History #FexingoHistory #Podcast Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo