Colonial Slavery and The Haitian Revolt SaintDomingue 1700s

Colonial Slavery and The Haitian Revolt

Saint-Domingue 1700’s • Was A major Sugar producing Colony for the French – Highly intensive manual labor – The Island was split between French and Spanish rule • Slave owners very highly abusive towards their slaves – Violence used on slave populations which outnumbered whites

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Closer connection to Africa • ON the Island there was a constant flow of new slaves • West African language and culture was more prevalent on Haiti • Language spoken was Creole(mix French and African dialects) • Religion consisted of combination of Catholicism and native beliefs (Vodue)

Racial and Social Structure of the Island • The whites – government official in city Port au Prince – Wealthy Plantation Owners – Plantation Foremen • The free people of color – Most were Mullatoes given Freedom – White fathers often gave them land an education to secure higher status • The black slaves – Many with close lines to Africa and had the least rights • The maroons – Escaped Slaves who lived on the outskirts of plantations

The French Revolution • The French Revolution of 1789 In France was the spark which lit The Haitian Revolution of 1791. • French Revolutions had weakened political structure on the Colonies • People were inspired by documents like “The Rights of Man and Citizen” • Free Blacks were pushing for civil equality

Economic Causes • "exclusif" on Saint-Domingue. This required that Saint-Domingue sold 100% of her exports to France alone, and purchased 100% • here was a growing independence movement, and in this movement the white planters were united with the free people of color.

• The Slave Rebellion of August 21, 1791 Uprising of the slaves on the night of August 21 st. – Maroons began to attack plantations and other slaved joined in – Major factor was 10 -1 ratio of slaves and Whites – Slaves would take revenge on whites • 1792 Slaves control a large portion of the colony

Foreign Influence • 1793 France Declared War on GB – GB and Spain began to attack French troops in Saint Domingue • Further weakening French forces – They also provided rebellious slaves with supplies to fight French Forces

End of Slavery 1794 • In France under Maximilien Robespierre France abolished Slavery on all colonies – This was also to attempt to control Slave rebellion • Many Former Rebels joined the French Side in a Fight to Remove British and Spanish Forces form the Island

Social Structure after Slavery • There was no real change in society • Blacks still wanted full Rights • Next step was fight for independence • Many Former Rebels joined the French Side in a Fight to Remove British and Spanish Forces form the Island

Toussaint L’Ouverture Was a former slave Self Educated Fought in initial Slave Rebellion Then Fought for the French against Spanish and British • As Commander he urged soldiers not to commit atrocities • His largest Demand was free Haiti ruled by the Black majority • •

His capture • He declared Haiti Independent and set a constitution with himself as leader • Napoleon Sent Forces to remove him from power • A peace treaty was made to join back with France – He was then arrested and died in France 1802

France and re-establishment of Slavery • French Revolution was over and Napoleon was in charge – Major push by the French to re-establish slavery – This Caused the Second major uprising led by former Black French commander Jean-Jacques Dessalines

Fight for Independence • Advantages for the Rebels – Britain was attacking France (Napoleonic Wars) – Napoleon wanted to focus on Europe instead of Americas • 1804 Lead by Dessalines Haiti won its independence from France – What followed was a full attack on all remaining whites.

Issues brought up by Haiti • First Independent Black nation in the Americas • Most Successful Slave Uprising • Fear of other Slave holding nations of Slave uprisings. – United States and Other nations placed embargo – France forced Haiti to pay reparations for lost property.