Haitian Revolution

Question 1

Origins

Answer 1

-French colony of Saint-Domingue

-extensive coffee, cocoa and indigo plantations as well as smaller less profitable sugar plantation

-harsh conditions on plantations

-complex racial and legal order

whites (referred to as ‘small’ (shop keepers, slave dealers) or ‘big’ (plantation owners etc)

–>
free non whites (artisans, overseers etc)

–>
enslaved Africans

Question 2

The Revolution Part 1

Answer 2

1789: ‘Declaration of the rights of man and citizen’ issued –> did not go down well with the white planters in Saint-Domingue

1791: Whites in Haiti blocked new (french) laws on equality, intended to benefit free people of colour

1791: two separate revolts

1. free coloureds against whites
2. black slaves

Question 3

The Revolution Part 2

Answer 3

1792: as a result of revolts, French legislative assembly decreed equality in civil and political rights for whites and free poc but no concessions for slave revolt

1793: continued slave revolts and foreign invasion of both Spanish and British

-Spanish Promised slaves freedom for those who jointed them

Question 4

The Revolution Part 3

Answer 4

Revolutionary commission was sent to Saint-Domingue in 1792 in order to re-establish control and enforce social equality granted to free people of colour

August 1793: finally decreed universal emancipation

Feb 1794: slavery abolished in all French colonies by national convention

Question 5

Leger-felicite Sonthonax

Answer 5

commissioner of Saint Domingue

-french abolitionist, who suspected the white planters to be royalists

Question 6

Toussaint L’Ouverture

Answer 6

leader of Hatian slave revolt

-creole born son of slave, later freed

-originally joined spanards over France or Britain then changed to french

-declared commander of the French forces in Haiti

-played key role in defeating British efforts to take Haiti

-Toussaint seized power island

Question 7

By 1800…

Answer 7

by 1800: all foreign powers largely expulsed from Saint Domingue

• Toussaint L’ouverture in control of Haiti as governor-general

1801 constitution: saint-domingue autonomous colony - abolition of slavery

Question 8

Napoleon ‘Western design’ (1801-1803)

Answer 8

Napoleon sought to reconquer saint-domingue

L’Ouverture caputured by the French and new leader introduced

french efforts to restore order –> killing slaves and blacks

Question 9

Independent Republic of Haiti

Answer 9

proclaimed on 1 Jan 1804

Dessalines as emperor of Haiti

declared Haiti as an all black nation

Question 10

Impacts of Haiti Revolution

Answer 10

Haiti example inspired revolts and revolution elsewhere in the Americas

fears of slaves and non whites revolution influenced attitudes elsewhere in the Caribbeans and USA

created a lot of conservative backlash