The leading force in the abolition of slavery in the British Empire was William Wilberforce. As a prominent politician and member of the British Parliament, he dedicated much of his life to the advocacy of social reform, particularly the abolition of the slave trade. His tireless campaigning and moral arguments against slavery culminated in the passage of the Abolition of the Slave Trade Act in 1807, which made it illegal to engage in the slave trade within the British Empire. Wilberforce’s efforts significantly influenced public opinion and led to the eventual emancipation of enslaved people throughout the British Empire.