This Week in History

In ‘This Week in History’ (20th March – 26th March, 2017): 

March 25, 1807: The British Parliament passed the Abolition of the Slave Trade Act 1807, following a long-fought campaign headed by, among others, William Wilberforce, Granville Sharp, Olaudah Equiano, James Stephen, and the Quaker Sect. It is important to understand that this Act did not end slavery; it only abolished the slave trade within the British Empire. Slavery itself was only abolished formally in 1833. Further reading: BBC History: Abolition; History Extra: Slavery; BBC History – Granville Sharp.

March 21, 1918: The Second Battle of the Somme began when German General Erich von Ludendorff launched a five-hour artillery barrage followed by a German troop attack. The offensive lasted until April 6th and resulted in a German advance of about 35 miles. Further Reading: Second Battle of the Somme Begins; The Hindenburg Line – Ludendorff’s Defence In Depth – The Great War YouTube Channel.

March 26, 1979: The formal agreement of the Camp David Accords was signed by the Prime Minister of Israel Menachem Begin and the Egyptian President Anwar Sadat, ending three decades of warfare between Israel and Egypt. The peace initiative was presided over by US President Jimmy Carter. Further Reading: History – Camp David Accords Signed.

March 24, 1989: One of the largest oil spills in history occurred as the oil tanker Exxon Valdez ran aground in Prince William Sound off Alaska and spilled 11 million gallons of oil. Further Reading: The Exxon Valdez Oil Spill – The Atlantic.