After slavery was abolished in the whole of the British Empire in 1833, what was introduced? (A) Apprenticeships (B) Paid jobs for slaves (C) Complete freedom for slaves
Answer (1)
After slavery was abolished in the whole of the British Empire in 1833, a period called "Apprenticeship" was introduced for the former enslaved individuals. Therefore, the correct answer is option (A) Apprenticeships.
Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How:
Who: The British government introduced the apprenticeship system. This involved the enslaved people who were emancipated but had to serve as apprentices.
What: The apprenticeship system was a transitional arrangement established as part of the 1833 Abolition of Slavery Act. It was designed to ease the transition from slavery to complete freedom.
When: This system came into effect on August 1, 1834, immediately following the abolition of slavery on August 1, 1833, and lasted until August 1, 1838.
Where: The apprenticeship system was implemented throughout the British Empire, affecting regions in the Caribbean, parts of South America, Africa, and Asia, where slavery had been prevalent.
Why: The purpose of the apprenticeship system was to give former slave owners time to adjust to the loss of labor and to ease former enslaved individuals into freedom by maintaining a labor force under contract.
How: Under this system, former enslaved people were required to work for their previous owners for a set number of hours each week without pay, in exchange for basic provisions and accommodations. They were supposed to learn skills that would help them in their new life post-slavery. Unfortunately, in reality, it often resulted in continued exploitation.
This system was eventually abandoned because it was widely criticized for effectively prolonging the conditions of slavery and not truly providing the intended stepping stone to full freedom.
