Granville Sharp

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Granville Sharp
Introduction
The subject of the biographical essay is Granville Sharp, a key abolitionist figure who made a significant contribution to the fight against the transatlantic slave trade. Sharp was born on November 1735 in Durham England to a clergyman. Consequently, he was raised with strong religious convictions. According to McFarland (2019), Sharp was a dedicated member of the Anglican church who used to study the Bible intensely. During his era, England as a society did not pursue slavery with the Chief Justice opining that the English law did not recognize slavery. However, some of the slaveowners from various English colonies in the West Indies and America would commonly visit the country with their slaves in tow (McFarland, 2019). The slaveowners had managed to convince the English Chancellor to pass a law acknowledging that those who came to the country as slaves should be recognized as slaves even if they become baptized. Sharp’s encounter with a beaten and abandoned black slave, Jonathan Strong served as the precursor to his decision to pursue justice for the slaves at the time.
The biographical essay is based on Granville Strong owing to his efforts in preventing slaves who had visited the country from being forced to return to the American colonies where they were abused. Historians have regarded Sharp as the “first abolitionist.” In addition, Sharp’s role in agitating for justice for the victims of the Zong massacre was an area of interest given that the massacre is the topic of my paper. The campaign that Sharp started when he rescued Jonathan Sharp from the streets eventually culminated at the end of the slave trade and the institution of slavery (Lascelles, 1928). The message of Sharp’s life can be summed up by a quote by Henry David Thoreau, “Pursue some path, however narrow and crooked, in which you can walk with love and reverence.”
Influence
Notably, one of the significant influences of Sharp’s activism was religious convictions. Sharp’s family was a key part of the Church of England with McFarland (2019) noting that Sharp’s family would perform musical concerts every Sunday with the various members of the family tasked with playing various musical instruments that added up to the concert. The Christian faith impressed upon Sharp that every person was equal before God shaping his belief that slavery was a sin against humanity that should have been abolished (Wallace, 1998). The religious belief saw William make significant efforts toward helping the poor in the England society. As a government clerk, Sharp had firsthand experience of the plight of the poor and he would direct his resources toward helping the poor in the society at the time.
Labor Issues
The labor issue that had a significant impact on Sharp’s life was the inhuman treatment of slaves by the slave owners. Notably, England as a society during Sharp’s life took pride in the view that their country was too pure to allow one to exist as a slave in the country, as established by a British Court ruling in 1859. Nonetheless, England expanding control in various colonies and its naval superior...