Haiti's Independence from France Came at a Cost Essay

In document B it proves that Toussaint was a liberator of slaves because he told them to free the slaves. Toussaint believed that the slaves should be free and have their own freedom. L’ouverture should be remembered as the ruler of Saint Domingue. L’ouverture decided to have the people keep working so no money is lost.

In this article the author claims that the fact that the European and the USA refused to recognized Haitian governments after the declaration of its independence, strengthened the political regime of President Jean-Pierre Boyer, which provoked the rise of a whole nation. During the Haitian Revolution, Haiti became a place of destination for many West Indian slaves that were trying to escape. By guaranteeing to these fugitive a certain protection President Boyer was indirectly punishing the British for not formally recognizing the Republic’s

When Napoleon conquered France, he tried to reinstate slavery in Haiti. In May of 1802, a French commander kidnapped the head of the

The Haitian idea of the revolution originated with the hearing of the success of the French Revolution and the creation of the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen (Doc 2). Since Haiti was under the rule of France, word broke out to the slaves that the French overcame the government, giving hope for the slaves under their rule. The revolution leaders “gathered to affirm their commitment to one another at a voodoo ritual,” (Doc 5) as voodoo was a combination of African and Haitian culture. This meeting occurred on August 14, 1791 and a week later, the revolution against the French began. After their success of the battle against the French, the Haitian leader, Jean Jacques Dessalines, spoke to the Haitian people on January 1st, 1804 on the gain of their independence. Jean Jacques Dessalines states “we must at last live independent or die” and to renounce France (Doc

While Toussaint L'Ouverture’s initiating of paid labor and abolishing of slavery both fulfilled Enlightenment values, it is also valid to argue that it did not fulfill the Enlightenment values of liberation and equality that Toussaint declared himself governor of Toussaint for life without allowing others to have significant say. In article 28 of The Haitian Constitution it is written by Toussaint that “The Constitution name[d] as governor Citizen Toussaint Louvre, General-in-Chief of the army of Saint-Domingue and, in consideration of the important services that the general has rendered to the colony in the most critical circumstances of the revolution, and per the wishes of the grateful inhabitants, the reins are confided to him for the rest of his glorious life”. This demonstrates that Toussaint did have the desire to be the one and only leader of and the unfair class hierarchy, he did not have the morality to apply these values to his own

He was also very successful in negotiating with the French General Leclerc, who misrepresented France's orders by attacking L'Ouverture and his forces. L'Ouverture was able to calmly respond by arranging a diplomatic meeting and creating a resolution about territorial boundaries, proving his advanced diplomatic ability. He also proved advanced military ability by defending cities against French Gen. Rochambeau. One specific battle was at La Croix, during which L'Ouverture fought off Rochambeau's force which far outnumbered his own (304). Dessalines and Christophe also proved very capable and they worked cohesively with each other and with L'Ouverture . L'Ouverture's leadership empowered the Haitian people and the slave armies and his reputation had such a lasting effect that he became a heroic figure for anti slavery activism in the U.S. He was described by some activists in the mid-1800s as being "among history's greatest men" (Clavin 38). His character became a symbol of anti slavery idealism and, on a larger scale, of racial equality (35). L'Ouverture was proof of the ability of black men to achieve feats comparable to white men, showing that the races were equal (38). His success had "revolutionary implications" because this was the first time a black slave population had ousted a white population

b. François Toussaint L’Ouverture became the leader of the former slaves. Toussaint remained in charge in the following many years of frequent battles, but in 1802 he was captured by French forces and later died in a French prison.

The next was Makandal, who was a mythical maroon leader who escaped death and was represented resistance to the slaves. The next was Julien Raimond, who was a Indigo painter who owned up to a hundred slave. He helped convince the national assembly that free colored people should have political rights. The next was Andre Rigaud. He was a military leader who helped Toussaint, but than later became enemies with him when they both struggled for control with Haiti.

By 1792, the French had sent troops in to try and restore order. These battles differed from the battles in the United States because they centered on ideas of racial equality. Poorly treated slaves and angry mixed race citizens fought not only for their right to have an independent nation, but for a literal freedom and equality for themselves. When Toussaint L’Overture, a former slave, took over the Haitian armies in 1793, he was fighting both the British and the French, two armies fighting to possess an island rich in resources, including the slaves who were fighting against them. He was a powerful leader and an intelligent military strategist, and his capacity to control the rebelling slaves greatly improved their organization. Battles with the French dragged on until 1803, when Napoleon no longer had the resources to sustain the warfare and withdrew his troops. By 1804, Haiti was an independent republic governed by Jean-Jacques Dessalines, who in a final expression of racial tension had the remaining white citizens massacred. Both the United States and Haiti helped secure their independence through successful military campaigns, but Haiti’s independence had race as a focal point in a way colonists of the United States did not

The cause and effects of the Haitian Revolution have played, and continue to play, a major role in the history of the Caribbean. During the time of this rebellion, slavery was a large institution throughout the Caribbean. The success of the sugar and other plantations was based on the large slave labor forces. Without these forces, Saint Domingue, the island with the largest sugar production, and the rest of the Caribbean, would face the threat of losing a profitable industry.

U.S. Imperialist Domination on Haiti. The United States fascination in Haiti has always existed prior to its domination. The United States has had a rough relationship with Haiti “ever since the former slave colony revolted against France and won independence in 1804, the only nation founded by a slave rebellion” (Bauduy, pg. 244, 2015). U.S. imperialism combined its relations with the Haitian dominant classes, forming a social base that strengthened the U.S. domination over Haiti even after the patriot opposition compelled them to leave.

Finally, Haiti got quite a bit of their motivation and reason for revolt from some of the Eighteenth century Enlightenment philosophers. These philosophers played a very big role in the development of many revolutions across the globe, including Haiti’s. “Throughout history, revolutions have started because of new ideas that change thinking and disrupt the status quo. The Haitian Revolution of 1789-1804 is no exception.”(Nicholson). The main philosopher that the Haitians took their ideas from is John Locke. Some of Locke’s ideas were previously unheard of, and started quite a debate when he published his books. These ideas gave people a new view on the way that things were seen all across the world, and gave people ideas they would have never had before. (“The Enlightenment”) “A government, he said, has an obligation to the people it governs. If a government fails its obligations or violates

Toussaint Louverture organized an army of twenty thousand that controlled most of Saint-Domingue and spread a constitution that granted equality and citizenship to all of its residents. However, he did not want to declare independence from France because he did not want to aggravate Napoleon Bonaparte into attacking the island, which he ended up doing later. After his death following his arrest, the black generals that succeeded Toussaint defeated the French troops that survived yellow fever and had driven them out of the colony. In late 1803, they declared independence, the establishment of Haiti soon followed. Although they had abolished French rule, French is the main language spoken in Haiti today. The victory of the Haitian revolution signifies the first and only successful slave revolt in modern

For the most part, the interaction between the colonizers of Haiti—the Spanish and the French—was negative, and lastingly so. Haiti has remained a turbulent and impoverished landscape. Social and economic indicators remain doggedly low, year after year. Haiti, although technically independent as of 1804, has never been able to support itself. There is a lot of heartfelt sympathy for Haiti, and the hope is that the legacy of colonization is not unending fate. But it will take a lot of work to get Haiti to a place of true freedom and independence, and sometimes outside help, however well intentioned, only unwittingly fuels the legacy.

The Haitian Revolution was one of the most important slave revolts in Latin American history. It started a succession of other revolutionary wars in Latin America and ended both colonialism and imperialism in the Americas. The Haitian Revolution affected people from all social castes in Haiti including the indigenous natives, mestizos, mulattos and the Afro-Latin. The idea of starting a rebellion against France began with the colony’s white elite class seeking a capitalist market. These elites in the richest mining and plantation economies felt that the European governments were limiting their growth and restricting free trades. However, the Afro-Latin, mestizos and mulattos turned the Haitian Revolution into a war for equality and built a new state. The Haitian Revolution, with the support of it large slave population and lower class citizens, eliminated slavery and founded the Republic of Haiti. Tin this essay I will discuss how mestizos, mulattos and the Afro-Latin Americans population in Haiti participate in the fight for independence and how they creation of new republics.