Amelioration proposals

• Amelioration Proposals of 1823


  Britain's attempt to make a compromise between the wishes of the abolitionists and the wishes of the planters
• Amelioration Proposals


  • Attempted to improve the conditions of slavery for the enslaved people
  • Addressed the welfare of the slaves
  • Addressed the future well-being of slave owners who felt that their way of life was coming to an end
• Amelioration Proposals


  1. Flogging of slave women was abolished

  2. Slaves should be given Saturday to go to market and Sunday to go to church

  3. One day was to pass before flogging enslaved males

  4. Overseers and drivers should not carry a whip in the field

  5. An official record of all corporal punishments exceeding three lashes was to be kept

  6. Slave families were not to be separated by sale

  7. Slaves were to receive religious education and allowed Christian Church marriages

  8. Slaves could give evidence in court if they were sponsored by a missionary or priest

  9. All children born after 1823 should be emancipated and those remaining should be protected against abuse
• Amelioration was not supported by the planters and consequently, only the least effective proposals were enforced
• Amelioration failed because very little was done to make sure that planters did what the Proposals asked them to do