Haitian Revolution Flashcards

1
Q

Origins

A

-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

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2
Q

The Revolution Part 1

A

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
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3
Q

The Revolution Part 2

A

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

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4
Q

The Revolution Part 3

A

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

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5
Q

Leger-felicite Sonthonax

A

commissioner of Saint Domingue

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

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6
Q

Toussaint L’Ouverture

A

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

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7
Q

By 1800…

A

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

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8
Q

Napoleon ‘Western design’ (1801-1803)

A

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

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9
Q

Independent Republic of Haiti

A

proclaimed on 1 Jan 1804

Dessalines as emperor of Haiti

declared Haiti as an all black nation

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10
Q

Impacts of Haiti Revolution

A

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

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