...Scholars of the Haitian Revolution have also considered the role that African ideas may have played in the Haitian Revolution. In ““I Am The Subject of the King of Congo”: African Political Ideology and the Haitian Revolution”, John Thornton contends for the role of Congolese political history and thinking in influencing the Haitian Revolution. At the time of the Haitian revolution the majority slaves in Haiti were of Congolese origin or descent. Thornton contends against earlier interpretations which interpreted the slaves’ African political heritage as encouraging a support for absolute monarchy and slavery. He analyzes the political practices of Congolese Kingship and the dynamics of the civil wars which had taken place in the 18th century,...
Words: 1196 - Pages: 5
...Professor Kodi Roberts African American History 09 October 2012 African Americans and the Revolutionary War The American Revolution, also known as the Revolutionary War, was a significant event that changed the whole world. Although the Revolutionary War lasted only for eight years, the American Revolution started developing years before the first shots at the battle of Lexington and Concord were fired. African-Americans joined the Revolutionary War, because the principles underlying the revolution implied the end of slavery and granting of rights for them. American historian Benjamin Quarles, understood the African-American community's need for equality and freedom. Around 5,000 African-Americans served as soldiers in the Continental Army and about 20,000 in the British Army. The Revolutionary War was a blessing in disguise for many African-Americans, as it paved the way to freedom from slavery and helped them to embark on their journey towards equality and civil rights. At the start of the war General George Washington did not want African Americans to fight in the military. In November of 1775 Lord Dunmore, the Governor of Virginia, promised freedom to any slave, owned by a rebelling colonist that fought for the British. This caused many slaves to escape to the side of the British. The Americans still did not let slaves fight with them. As time passed and the Americans lost many soldiers, some of the colonies began to let slaves enlist in1778. Virginia did not let slaves...
Words: 911 - Pages: 4
...3: Resistance and revolt The economic effects of the Haitian Revolution on Haiti The Haitian Revolution was a great triumph in that it granted a large population of Africans freedom earlier than any other territory in the Caribbean, How true is it to say that early freedom was not worth the destruction of the entire Haitian Economy by the early 19th century? Rationale The condition of the Haitian economy today is far less than satisfactory, poverty and disease is rife and it seems there is no growth to be made in the near future. Battered by natural disasters, the Haitian economy is at an all-time low. One might wonder how this could be, Haiti or what it was, the great St.Domingue was among the richest and most successful places on the planet! This researcher decided to do research on this topic because as a historian I am curious to know why and when the Haitian economy started cascading to the point it is now. Historians who are curious to know more about the history of Haiti’s economy and those connected to Haiti by either residence or family may benefit from this research. Introduction The French colony St Domingue was formed when French settlers persistently tried to settle in Hispaniola which was a colony of Spain and were eventually in 1697 granted the western side of the island through the Treaty of Ryswick. After settling, the French imported Africans to be slaves as a supply of free labour for the operation of sugar...
Words: 1094 - Pages: 5
...Amandla! Film Essay Abigail Koss September 16, 2015 The Impact of Music During Apartheid Amandla! A Revolution in Four-Part Harmony is a 2002 documentary film directed by Lee Hirsch that describes the struggle the black South Africans faced during apartheid. Activists and musicians discuss the days of apartheid. The film has a collection of musical performances, interviews, and historical footage. Amandla is a Zulu and Xhosa word that means power. It was a common rally word used in resistance to Apartheid. The black South Africans also used music to show resistance to apartheid. During the film, several musicians and activists discussed the role of music. Some argued that the music would not have been possible without the mistreatment the black South Africans experienced, while others argued that the music already had a strong influence on the African societies, and the revolution against apartheid would not have been possible without music. In my opinion, the system of apartheid caused the creation of many different songs by the black South Africans, and these particular songs would not have been possible without the struggle during this time. However, I also believe that the music they created was a way for the blacks to become determined for equality and ultimately revolt against the government. Apartheid was a system of racial segregation enforced by the National Party, the white government of South Africa, from 1984 to 1994. Apartheid is an Afrikaans word that literally...
Words: 1537 - Pages: 7
...------------------------------------------------- Minipulated African Americans and the Revolution Nikki Jones Genesee community college History 203: Fall 2014 Nikki Jones Genesee community college History 203: Fall 2014 Manipulated: African Americans and the Revolution One of the most notable intellectual paradoxes in American history is how the founding fathers could promote the equal rights of man and their perceived enslavement by the crown while simultaneously holding a fifth of their own population in bondage. Another question that plaques the history of this great nation is why abolition, or widespread emancipation, did not occur at this period in time when revolutionary and republican rhetoric existed alongside of anti-slavery sentiments. A case can be made that Americans were speaking more loudly for the end of political enslavement, rather than the freedom of slaves themselves. The exclusion of slaves from the political forefront made it easier for Americans to make these hypocritical claims. Whether or not whites were able to justify themselves the exclusion of the black community from their cries for freedom, the parallels revolutionary rhetoric had on their own condition were not lost on slaves. Many took advantage of the revolutionary crisis and ran away and joined either side in hopes to attain their own independence. There reasons that Blacks chose to join the revolutionary fight are as varied as the individuals who made them. The motives were...
Words: 2286 - Pages: 10
...African colonialism During the years of 1870s and 1900s the idea of colonialism sparked. The European industrial revolution was a time that Europeans were forced to find additional resources and placement for the surplus of people that were not as fortunate as the rich capitalist in Europe. Poverty and homelessness were on the rise due to the surplus of people that couldn’t be absorbed in the system. The Europeans thought to solve the economic issue by migrating to Africa to acquire colonies and export sources, such as raw materials. The settlers set up colonies in parts South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe and Zambia. This led to a movement called “scramble for Africa”. Africa was divided for control of people, power, resources and goods. The “Scramble for Africa” is an example of colonialism. The European countries of Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal and Belgium came into Africa to try to expand their territory and exploit the African people. The new borders created during the Berlin conference would force the indigenous people to share citizenship with other ethnic groups and governments. These borders still remain. To prevent wars and conflict between the Europeans and the indigenous people, treaties were created. (Wikipedia, 2014). The Berlin conference, initiated by Otto von Bismarck, laid down ground rules for the participating countries to even out competition and decrease chances of conflict amongst themselves. After the country was divided, treaties...
Words: 1011 - Pages: 5
...colonization. The European imperialist push into the African continent was highly motivated by three major factors which are the social, political, and economic factors with the economic factor being the primary factor. As a result, of the European imperialist designs and pressure provoked African political and diplomatic responses leading to military resistance by Africans. To conquer Africa, colonials commonly applied the policies of direct, indirect and assimilation rule to dominate entirely African countries. To get protection from the colonizers, African leaders reacted by signing treaties like the Berlin conference for those who collaborated while some African leaders reacted by forming militarily to resist the seizure of their lands and also the imposition of colonial domination. The major cause of violent revolution in the Russian revolution of 1917 was the existence of sharp economic differences existing between social classes. The main goal was to ensure that the rigid class system existing were somehow fair and not favoring. The cause for the use of nonviolent revolution in the American Revolution was the fact that it presents fewer obstacles when it comes to moral and physical involvement and commitment as well promoting a high level of participation which contributes to enhanced resilience. The goal was to ensure that there are no cases of the dictatorial regime in America. For the cause of orange revolution in Ukraine was to ensure there is both economical and...
Words: 501 - Pages: 3
...Greed is a powerful thought that overcomes many people. Many people behave irrationally under its spell. For the Europeans, they decided to take over Africa. The Europeans had many motives for imperialism in Africa. Imperialism is the takeover of a country or territory by a stronger nation with intent on dominating the political, economic, and social life of the people of that nation. Europe’s main motives for African imperialism were Industrial Revolution resources, humanitarian morale, and economic competition. First, Africa was a target for European civilization because Europe had a lot of technological resources to take over Africa. Document C shows many discoveries and inventions that resulted from the Industrial Revolution. These findings...
Words: 405 - Pages: 2
...Renowned Nobel Peace Prize winner and celebrated orator, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, in his zealous speech, "Remaining Awake Through a Great Revolution", illustrates and pleads for the growing need of active participation across a social revolution in America. Dr. King's purpose is to empower young African American college graduates and inspire positive involvement in the Civil Rights Movement through the promotion of non-violent means. He adopts an authoritative tone in order to persuade his prospective audience into taking action and elevating the rights of African Americans across the nation. Dr. King begins his speech to the college graduates by acknowledging the great challenge to remain awake through the social revolution and transformation from the "old order of slavery" to the "idea of freedom and human dignity". He appeals to their consciences by stating the obstacles faced by the graduates were to unify the races and dissolve racial barriers "in terms of a brotherhood". He calls for "moral and ethical commitments" in order to create "a brotherhood" because he aims to inspire educated African Americans into catapulting themselves from the bottom of the social ladder to racial equality...
Words: 530 - Pages: 3
...Europe and put them into action on the ground. They conquered weak African chiefs and signed treaties with the powerful ones. Soon after arriving, treaties were thrown aside and the conquest began. Having far more resources and a technical advantage, European countries rolled through to central Africa. The strong firepower of the Europeans crushed most if not all of the African resistance. The Berlin Conference of 1884-1885 was the highlight of European competition for territory in Africa. France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Portugal, Spain, and King Leopold II of Belgium together had acquired thirty new African colonies. They came together to negotiate their claims to African territory. They were then formalized and divided into forty new political units, subsequently displacing 110 million Africans. These units were drawn as straight lines with no regards for the villages, ethnic groups and African kingdoms. (scramble for Africa, 2015) Part A1 The indigenous people of Africa originally trusted Europeans. They believed the treaties they signed were merely a formality and based upon friendship and trade. In actuality, the treaties meant that Africans had signed away their sovereignties to European powers. After they discovered that the Europeans wanted to take their lands, African leaders organized military resistance to defend their lands and hold off colonial domination. The smaller African tribes used guerrilla warfare. They used small groups of troops surprise...
Words: 939 - Pages: 4
...Assignment 1.2: Research Paper Industrialization after the Civil War Shana Dukes History 105 Professor Tracey M. Biagas February 3. 2014 Introduction Industrialization after the Civil War was a period where Industrial city were being built, there were jobs for people and the political aspect was having corruption. In this paper the main points in this paper discussed the major aspects of the Industrialization Revolution, such as groups that were affected by the Industrial society, and the affects the life of the average working American. While the Industrial Revolution was a great turning point in the history of mankind, it led humanity to great technological advancements, middle and lower class, African American rights, woman equal rights, and many others. Three Aspects of the Industrial Revolution Three major aspects of the Industrial Revolution during 1865 to 1920 influenced society, economy, and politics. Society was a major aspect of Industrialization because companies were being built, railways was distributing goods to different states (Arrington, 2013). Also, a lot of people were moving from the South and farm areas to the Northern urban areas. Iron and steel had become more vital to the Industrialization of America, and the United States was becoming more Industrialized and less agricultural (Gilder Lehrman Institute, 2009). The society worked in factories to earn money; they also worked at steel plants, and other jobs. Society played a major aspect...
Words: 1315 - Pages: 6
...Industrialization Post Civil-War Tiffany Suber Joel Goldstein HIS 105-Contemporary U.S. History Sunday, August 09, 2015 The post-Civil War era in the United States was distinct by immense expansion of industries, agriculture, and immigration across the country. This paper will outline the effects Industrialization had on the economy, politics, and the society after the Civil War. There were several groups of people effected by the revolution. The revolution brought some changes that benefited people, however there were also changes that caused fear and harm to others. Between 1880 and 1920, roughly 25 million people came to the United States. America promised economic opportunity and freedom. Many came planning to only stay long enough to acquire money to have a better life in Europe. Many of these immigrants made their way to the Midwest and Northeast to work. American had a tight labor market and many immigrants had limited knowledge of English, education, and work skills. They faced discrimination in the work place from workers who didn’t care for the immigrants need to accept lower wages and work in horrible conditions. The Chinese were one of the groups that faced discrimination to the point they were taxed to mine for gold during the Gold Rush. The tax was specifically for any “foreign miners” (Schultz, 2013). The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 prevented the Chinese from becoming citizens and migrating for 10 years. Indians were persecuted as outsiders, they suffered...
Words: 921 - Pages: 4
...Atlantic Revolutions, 1600-1825 The revolutions of the eighteenth century have their origins in political and cultural developments of the seventeenth century. Of course, they were also products of all of major developments the European conquest of the Americas, the rise of kingdom states and empires, the tremendous wealth that resulted from the expansion of global trade, and the development of colonial cultures and societies in the Americas. Scholars call these cultures and societies creole societies, because they blended elements of European, native American, and African culture and society. Developments in England, 1641-1688 But revolutions are also inspired by ideas, and ideas that we may take for granted today had much of their start in England. Political conflict in Great Britain was a common theme of the seventeenth century. In 1641, a civil war led to the execution of the king (Charles I), and the establishment of a republic, what was known as the Commonwealth. Politics and religion both played a part in the Civil War, with the English nobility and wealthy commoners (whose interests were represented in Parliament, England’s legislature) wanting a greater say in how royal revenues were raised and spent. This republic quickly became a military dictatorship, and the old king’s son (Charles II) was invited back. But when Charles II died, the next king soon ran into trouble with Parliament, who feared that this king, James II, wanted too much power for himself. So in...
Words: 2326 - Pages: 10
...The American Revolution and “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?” Thomas Jefferson first used the phrase, “all men are created equal,” in the Declaration of Independence which is something that has been criticized as an immortal declaration. It is also a popular phrase that is a popular theory prediction of the United States Revolutionary period with great continuing importance. The American Revolution would help lead to the national holiday of July 4th and the birth of a new nation that would be celebrated as a day that marked America’s independence. In the nineteenth century, many of the American communities celebrated Independence Day with a ceremonial reading of the Declaration of Independence, followed by a speech dedicated to the celebration of independence and the heritage of the American Revolution of its Founding Fathers. On July 5th, 1952, Frederick Douglass spoke to his black community about the meaning of the Fourth of July. His speech was not to praise the celebration of July 4th, but it was to inform the audience that freedom has not been applied to everyone like how America said it would be. There are connections between our Revolutionary Founder book and Frederick Douglass’ speech that show the struggle of African Americans fighting for freedom before and ongoing after the American Revolution. I chose Frederick Douglass’s document “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?”, where he touches on the history of African Americans fighting for freedom and...
Words: 1068 - Pages: 5
...defeat the maroons, instead they would come to an agreement. The Haitian Revolution and its legacies to the Caribbean The Haitian Revolution was the outcome of an extended war between the enslaved people and the French colonizers in the French colony of St. Domingue. The Haitian Revolution would also be influenced by the free Mulattoes who had suffered the inequality of being of white and black descent. Though the Haitian Revolution was not the first revolt to have taken place in the Caribbean, it is the most monumental and efficacious events in Caribbean history. The enslaved and free Mulattoes fought against the French rule “and in 1804 declared their country’s independence under the original Arawak name of Haiti.” During this time, there were three social classes in St. Domingue, the whites, the free Mulattoes and the black enslaved. The free Mulattoes fought vigorously to have some level of freedom, however they were still challenged with repression by the whites. The enslaved people suffered severe conditions like many enslaved people in the Caribbean. The colony of St. Domingue produced coffee and sugar, commodities that served to enrich the white colonizers. “By the second half of the 18th century, sugar and coffee were two of the world’s most traded commodities, and Saint-Domingue produced over 60 percent of the world’s coffee and 40 percent of the world’s sugar.” It would be the French Revolution that would inspire the Mulattoes and the enslaved to fight against France...
Words: 1503 - Pages: 7
