...The Haitian Revolution was effective in attaining its main goals, which abolished slavery and removed French colonialism from Saint Domingue. This effectiveness was attained through the powerful military leaders who were ex-slaves as well as the armies rallied up in rebellion against the French colonists. “Slavery, the fundamental institution of colonial society, had been abolished and, with the defeat of the French army and the massacre of the remaining white colonists, the pre-revolutionary ruling class was completely replaced by a new group of rulers” (Popkin). After the new group of leaders were assigned and Haiti was split, then came civil war. The revolution was effective in getting what they required at the time, but after the revolution...
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...The Haitian Revolution and the Revolution of 1848 The Haitian Revolution and the Revolution of 1848 involve two distinct regions of the world. Despite the overlap of colonization linking the regions together, they hold different motivations for starting the revolution. The major similarities can be found in the economic setting of the locations. There are also some similarities in what happens after the revolutionary dust settles. The Haitian Revolution is arguably more influential due to the reinforcement of human rights and the establishment of the black run government. There is no doubt that the Haitian Revolution set an example for universal rights established during the Enlightenment. The setting of both revolutions occurs in a highly agricultural society. In Haiti, slave labor was churning out sugar and coffee...
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...THE CAUSES AND EFFECT OF THE HAITIAN REVOLUTION The Haitian Revolution represents the most thorough case study of revolutionary change anywhere in the history of the modern world. In ten years of sustained internal and international warfare, a colony populated predominantly by plantation slaves overthrew both its colonial status and its economic system and established a new political state of entirely free individuals—with some ex-slaves constituting the new political authority. As only the second state to declare its independence in the Americas, Haiti had no viable administrative models to follow. The British North Americans who declared their independence in 1776 left slavery intact, and theirs was more a political revolution than a social and economic one. The success of Haiti against all odds made social revolutions a sensitive issue among the leaders of political revolt elsewhere in the Americas during the final years of the eighteenth century and the first decades of the nineteenth century. Yet the genesis of the Haitian Revolution cannot be separated from the wider concomitant events of the later eighteenth-century Atlantic world. Indeed, the period between 1750 and 1850 represented an age of spontaneous, interrelated revolutions, and events in Saint Domingue/Haiti constitute an integral—though often overlooked—part of the history of that larger sphere. These multi-faceted revolutions combined to alter the way individuals and groups saw themselves and their place in...
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...The Haitian Revolution was influenced initially by events in France, especially the French Revolution of 1789. According to Yvette Taylor Kanarick in Caribbean History Core Course, “The events unfolding in France were to profoundly affect the course of the St.Domingue revolution.”1 On August 26, 1789, the newly convened Estates General passed the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen. France was divided into a rigid oppressive social class system just as St.Domingue. The first and second classes were made up of the clergy and the nobility, the third class was made up of all others from lawyers down to peasants. This unequal class structure created the atmosphere for the oppressed persons to fight for liberty, equality and fraternity. Upon the outbreak of the French Revolution, the people of St.Domingue, who were also French subjects, demanded their share of the slogan of liberty, equality and fraternity. This demand resulted in several conflicts between the different classes, which will later impact the revolt of the enslaved persons in the colony. The different classes were fighting for different reasons. The white plantocracy wanted equality with the whites in France and to rid themselves of the royalist bureaucracy to which they were subjected. The free coloureds on the other hand wanted equality with the whites politically and socially as well as an end to discriminations against them, while the enslaved people just simply grasped the opportunity to seek their freedom...
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...Ryan Williams 10/27/15 Refugees of the Haitian Revolution and Their Impact on New Orleans Regions of Southwest Louisiana possess a very distinct culture that are commonly accredited to the French. Although this may be true it is also true that this area is strongly influenced by the refugees of Saint-Domingue during the Haitian Revolution. The Haitian Revolution occurred from 1791-1804, during this period thousands of refugees fled from this Island to other parts of the Caribbean. Eventually, New Orleans became the final stop for many of these refugees. The mayor’s report of January 18, 1810 published in the Moniteur de la Louisiane shows a chart shows the racial movement of 1809 compared to the population of Orleans Parish in 1806 and 1810 by racial caste. This is important because the influx of Haitian refugees further amplified the division of the already existing caste system in New Orleans among slaves, whites, and free persons of color. This account of the refugee’s racial classification was very important during this time because the three main groups had different ranking in the caste systems, yet played pivotal roles in the development of New Orleans. According to Fiehrer “Saint Domingue took the form of an uneven triangle of power distribution, with the rich and officialdom at the top, the affranchise (free men) at one corner and the modest whites at the other. Excluded, from political participation at least, were the over half-million slaves” [Fiehrer.11]. As...
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...The Haitian Revolution 1791-1804, became the pedestal of slave or black-rebellions across many nations in the world. It was an epoch of cruel, barbarous conflict in the French colony of Saint-Domingue (now known as Haiti). This remarkable rebellion was caused by the desire for Haitian blacks and multiracial people to be treated with respect and decency after being enslaved and treated cruelly for too long. "Haiti has had slavery, revolution, debt, deforestation, corruption, exploitation and violence," says Alex von Tunzelmann. A distinguished black leader named Toussaint L'Ouverture was one of the illustrious leaders of the Haitian revolution. He advocated for fraternity, equality, and liberty. He was also well known for being a pioneer of...
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...The significance of the Haitian Revolution for the practice of contemporary theory. 1. Introduction Philosopher Peter Hallward claims, “If the French Revolution stands as the great political event of modern times the Haitian Revolution must figure at the most decisive sequence of that event” (Hallward, 2004:2). From a historical perspective, it is important that one recognises the significance of this event. The Haitian Revolution was a struggle for self-determination against colonial imperialism and slavery but it was also so much more than that as it was a struggle for the liberation of the African mind too. The Haitian Revolution influenced thinkers such as Peter Hallward and Alain Badiou, C.L.R. James as well as pan-Africanist thinkers such as Marcus Garvey and later Franz Fanon himself. In this paper I will analyse the Haitian Revolution not in a historical context per se but rather by examining its significance on the practice of contemporary theory. My argument in this paper is that the Haitian Revolution as an empirical event challenged many assumed theoretical universalities and in so doing has made contemporary theory ever more useful in terms of making sense of the world and uncovering hidden truths. For the purpose of this paper, theory as a concept as well as the practice of theory as process needs to be discussed in detail. Theory as a concept can best be understood as a system of ideas that are meant to explain a facet of existence. Thory can be very bold...
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...Assessment 06.08 19th Century Changes: Module Project Haitian Revolution From 1791-1804 Haitian slaves, led by Toussaint l ‘Overture, attacked wealthy whites. The main cause for the Haitian revolution was the philosophies of the enlightment in that “all men were considered brothers”, the French revolution had a psychological influence suggesting that if the French could rebel against illegitimate rule so could the Haitians. This is considered the most successful slave rebellion in history. Industrialization in Britain Between 1750 and 1850, the UK experienced the first industrial revolution. The UK changed from mostly agricultural to industrial. The industrial revolution occurred first in Britain because they had resources such as, coal,...
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...Stephen Moore AC1101673 HS250 World Civilizations II Lesson 3: Assignment 3 15 August 2015 The American, French, and Haitian Revolutions: Causes and Consequences The world in the 18th century was in turmoil. Not so much politically as it was philosophically. For centuries the power of government had rested in inheritance and tradition. The king was king by birth and divine right. People were content to accept their lot. You took what life gave you and did the best you could with what you had, but all that was about to change. Starting around the turn of the 17th century, works by philosophers such as John Locke, Voltaire, David Hume, Emmanual Kant and others began making their way into the libraries of the common people. The ideas about government and its existence were starting to be questioned. The government, the philosophers preached, existed to serve the people, not the other way around. If and when a government fails to be of benefit to its people, then said subjects have the right to abolish the current government. It was this idea, along with the teachings of all men are created equal that would eventually lead to the revolutions that would dominate the end of the 18th century and on into the 19th century. Called the "shot heard around the world" by Ralph Waldo Emerson in his poem “Concord Hymn”, a bullet fired in Concord, Massachusetts in 1775 is credited by many as the official start of the American revolutionary war. In reality, though...
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...catches on you. Today Haiti is being considered one of the poorest countries in the world. This once country used to be one of the richest place on earth with resources and minerals. But due to the many factors that contributed to the state of not letting the country move on. The country progress towards a better sustainable position simply has been neglected. The glorious moments all started (1791) when Haitian slaves rose and rebel against their French slave masters. The country became the first Black republic nation in the world. Since then Haitians have been paying for it ever, since then their powerful and uncompromising rebuke of human genocide, denomination and slavery. Now for over a century and half, the western hemisphere only Black nation was isolated from the rest of the world. Mainly because of the white supremacist mentality of colonial power, the under mind thinking of rebellious set by the slaves was determined to let Haiti be punished. This was done by simply refusing to trade with them, impose an economic embargo that last nearly two hundred years. The Haitians didn’t have reliable access to medical aid, sufficient food, clean water, technology and contraceptives. That’s why there is a high rate of birth. By understanding all this, now we know why Haiti became most impoverished in the west and with others in the world. The French and their allies successfully extracted more than a half a billion...
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...Latin American Revolutions Reading Guide Students should complete this guide on a separate sheet of paper that will be submitted upon Mr. Neale’s return on Wednesday. The relevant vocabulary and concepts are all from pages 644-65s3 of Voyages. Vocabulary. Please define all of the following terms. While definitions can be found in the text, students should also include a few words about the “historical relevance” of each term in their own words. 1. Gens de Couleur 2. Boukman 3. Toussiant L’Ouverture 4. Simon Bolivar 5. Junta 6. Gran Colombia 7. Jose de San Martin 8. Miguel de Hidalgo y Costilla 9. Grito de Dolores 10. Pedro I of Brazil Thematic Questions. These questions refer to examples in the reading of past historical themes that we have studied. Most of these questions can be answered in no more than two sentences. 1. What was voudun, why was it useful to the Haitian rebels, and how is it an example of a common social phenomenon that we have studied in the past? 2. How did the stages of the Haitian Revolution reflect a similar pattern when compared to the first two stages of the French Revolution? 3. What was the role of disease in the Haitian Revolution? How is this different than the role of disease in past conflicts such as the Spanish conquest of Mexico? 4. How did the conflict between criollo juntas and penninsulares in the Spanish new world demonstrate a similar the conflict as the dynamic...
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...Teacher: Mrs. P. Meikle Year of Examination: 2015 Name: Mikhail Farquharson Subject: Caribbean History School: Glenmuir High School Candidate Number: Teacher: Mrs. P. Meikle Year of Examination: 2015 SCHOOL BASED ASSESSMENT SCHOOL BASED ASSESSMENT Theme 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...
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...Fighting for freedom PLEASE SEE LESSON ON PAGE 12 YOUTHLINK MAGAZINE | JANUARY 17-23, 2012 11 DEBBION HYMAN Contributor Major slave revolts yl:History OBJECTIVES At the end of the lesson, students should be able to: a) Identify the key figures in the Berbice (1763), Barbados (1816), Demerara (1823) and Jamaica (1831) revolts. b) Explain the causes of any three major slave revolts. c) Describe the nature and consequences of any three major slave revolts. BERBICE 1763 CAUSES a) Inhumane treatment by white personnel (such as managers, overseers, bookkeepers) of the enslaved population. b) Inadequate provisions for daily existences supplied on the estates – the enslaved population had meagre rations and whenever there were shortages they would be adversely affected. NATURE & CONSEQUENCES a) The revolt began on Plantation Magdalenburg on the Conje River on February 23, 1763. b) By March 1763, the revolt had spread to the Berbice River. The enslaved peoples were able to capture several plantations along the river and Coffy played an instrumental role in this area. c) Coffy committed suicide in May 1763 – the fight for freedom, however, still continued. d) The colony was controlled by blacks for 10 months, showing the active thrust by blacks to end the system of chattel slavery. John and St George. b) By April 15, 1816 there was the declaration of martial law - Bussa was killed during the fighting. More than 170 slaves were killed and more than 200 were excuted;...
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...The Haitian Revolution was the result of a long struggle on the part of the slaves in the French colony of St. Domingue, but was also propelled by the free Mulattoes who had long faced the trials of being denoted as semi-citizens. This revolt was not unique, as there were several rebellions of its kind against the institution of plantation slavery in the Caribbean, but the Haitian Revolution the most successful. This had a great deal to do with the influence of the French Revolution, as it helped to inspire events in Haiti. The Haitian Revolution would go on to serve as a model for those affected by slavery throughout the world. There were three distinct classes in St. Domingue. First, there were the Whites, who were in control. Then there were the free Mulattoes, who straddled a very tenuous position in Haitian society. While they enjoyed a degree of freedom, they were repressed by the conservative White power structure that recognized them only as being people of color. Next came the slaves who, in Haiti suffered under some of the harshest treatment found in the Caribbean. Slaves in Haiti were legally considered to be property of the public and with little choice, yielded obedience. The master provided for the barest necessities of life for his slave "while he secures himself from injury or insult by an appeal to the laws." (Source 1, p. 406) The conditions in Haiti at this time were ripe for a Revolution and the only thing lacking was the proper action, which would soon...
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...ground (Huttes 1). The Earth shook violently for 35 seconds, “walls rippled as if they were made of liquid,” and Haitians ran out onto the streets screaming, thinking the rapture had arrived (Woolley 41). Within days, millions of dollars of foreign aid flowed into Haiti, but every day remained a struggle for survival. 230,000 Haitians were killed instantly, morgues soon overflowed, and the stench of flesh contaminated the streets. The death toll grew so large that corpses were hauled to mass graves to be buried with hundreds of their fellow countrymen. Identities were lost forever, and hundreds and thousands of children were orphaned and left homeless. The scale of the disaster was massive beyond comprehension, and foreign aid reached only small fractions of the population. The outside world began to ask, “What would it take to rebuild Haiti?” More importantly, “What would it take to remove Haiti from their 200 year pattern of poverty and failure (Smith)?” Throughout its history, Haiti has constantly depended on foreign aid, especially from the United States and France. Today, over two years after the earthquake, they’re still in great need of assistance. We as Americans owe it to our resilient Caribbean brothers to lead them to a prosperous and thriving future. While helping in Haiti, Paul Halvorsen, a graduate of Illinois Wesleyan University, speaks of the Haitian people saying, “you would not believe when you look in their eyes how strong they are and how much hope they have”...
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