Zorg: A Tale of Greed and Murder that Inspired the Abolition of Slavery, Siddarth Kara (4.0)
I found this historical review of the events surrounding the slave ship, Zorg, well researched, clearly written and interesting. While many have heard of the tragedy, Kara looked at how the events likely unfolded and the circumstances that led to the trial and publicity which ultimately led to Britain abolishing slavery. He spent most time on areas that could be researched, didn’t make a lot of assumptions, and clearly stated his reasoning which I appreciated. As with many huge societal changes, this one came about from an indirect source – publicity from an insurance trial. Did the insurance have to pay for the loss of slaves if they were thrown overboard? In today’s society, that sounds absurd, but in 1700’s England it was a business question that ultimately defined ‘property’ and necessary acts.
