Haitian Revolution Haiti n The Haitian Revolution a

+ Haitian Revolution

+ Haiti n The Haitian Revolution - a political conflict on the island of Hispaniola (today known as Haiti / Dominican Republic) n A French colony of Saint-Domingue from 1697 -1804 n 1791 -1804

+ Atlas Cover, 1794

+ French St. Domingue n The richest of all the New World colonies n Controlled by France n $$$ = sugar cane n 40% of Europe’s sugar n French brought in African slaves to work the cane fields n 1788 - 500, 000 slaves to 60, 000 white colonists

+ n People of St. Domingue 4 Social Groups: n n n Grands blancs (Rich, white plantation owners) gens de couleur (Free people of color – denied equal rights) Petit blancs (white workers) African Slaves Mulattos: people of mixed race/bi-racial (usually French fathers & black slave mothers) Lots of racial / social tension in the colony

+ n Rebellion! Slaves were overworked & underfed n n Long hours Bad conditions Disease / malnutrition Savage punishment n Many slaves fled their masters & hid in the mountains n Influence of the French Revolution n n Declaration of the Rights of Man The “Gens de couleur” demanded equal rights Slaves demanded freedom Tired of suffering & inspired by talk of liberty and equality, slaves revolt in 1791.

+ Boukman’s Rebellion, a massive slave revolt, 1791 n A voodoo priest leader named Boukman Dutty led a slave uprising of 50, 000 people n Killed white owners n Burned plantations n Freed slaves n Saint-Domingue’s white colonists made a deal with the British for help n Believed the French government didn’t care n Desired independence

Toussaint L’Ouverture n Most famous of the revolutionaries n 1743 -1803 n Businessman /general / doctor n Well-educated in Enlightenment philosophy n Believed a black “messiah” would rise to lead the slaves to victory n Trained followers like a professional army n 1791 - Toussaint L’Ouverture's army wins initial victory, 10, 000 whites flee n Result: National Assembly in France proclaims equality for all men (gens de couleur) n But, maintain slavery in their colonies

+ Results & Issues n By 1794, rebels had achieved their goal! n Slavery abolished n Toussaint’s forces controlled most of the island Constitution written n n Toussaint became a French Official n L’Ouverture n n faces economic issues Cane fields / plantations are destroyed No economy – Need sugar n L’Ouverture forces his African followers back to work Continues the plantation system (forced paid labor) n Dictator?

+ Napoleon’s Intervention n. Many white & “gens de colour” are unhappy with L’Ouverture’s rule n. Petition Napoleon for help n. Napoleon needs sugar $$ n 1802 - Napoleon dispatched an army to Saint-Domingue to retake the island n. Napoleon n. French attempts to reinstitute slavery commander captures & imprisons L’Ouverture

+ Toussaint Dies in Prison n Toussaint L’Ouverture dies in a French Prison in 1803 Fort de Joux

+ Haitian Independence Continued n The cause for independence continued after Toussaint’s death, led by Jacques Dessalines. n Late 1803, yellow fever had destroyed the French army n Massive French casualties n 50, 000 of 58, 000 die n France surrenders n n By 1804, Napoleon recalls his army The country declares independence on January 1, 1804. n n But not all is fair: the only people in the new government who could read were mulattos. n n New name: Haiti! 1805 – Constitution rewritten to keep power in hands of mulattos. Haiti eventually becomes a republic in 1820

+ Haitian Revolution in World History n Napoleon abandons idea of empire in the Americas after losing Haiti n sells Louisiana to the USA n News spreads to the US n Toussaint L’Ouverture becomes a hero to American slaves n The Haitian Revolution is important because: n Stopped Napoleon’s attempt to gain a world-wide empire n Haiti had the only successful slave revolt in modern times. n Haiti is the only country where slave freedom was taken by force. n Haiti was the 1 st country in Latin America to gain independence, 2 nd only to the USA in the Americas as a whole. n NOTE: USA fears a slave revolt in the South & refused to recognize Haitian independence till 1862

+ Questions n How does Haiti being an island make it a perfect place for slavery to flourish? n What are some of the reasons that blacks and mulattos had so much trouble getting along? Especially since they were both oppressed by the French and had hoped for independence? n How was the fight against slavery in Haiti like the fight against slavery in the USA?