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191. Slave, Slaver, Abolitionist: Three Scots in Africa

Empire

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Scotland's Profound Ties to African Slave Trade

This chapter explores early Scottish interactions with Africa, focusing on the nuanced stories of John Henderson, an escaped slave, and Richard Oswald, a businessman. It delves into the complexities of Scottish adventurism and the intertwined history of Glasgow's tobacco trade and transatlantic slavery, examining moral implications and economic motivations. The narrative reveals how figures like Oswald leveraged familial connections and local relationships to expand their influence in the slave trade, highlighting the dark realities of wealth and morality during the 18th century.

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