What Made Toussaint Louverture So Historic?

While the French revolution was a complete disaster in my opinion because two groups had different believes on political rights. It became so harsh that the kind died during the revolution that no one should be above the law the other group beliefs was when they finally won the revolution a lot of black slaves became free and considered as French citizens and that was great news to Toussaint and that a good think when u have a rebellion going on against slavery. Toussaint join the French to get help from the French since both had the same belief that all men should be created equal. Another great event that happened during the Haitian revolution is that Toussaint became governor of saint Dominque and that made the slaves holders very mad because a black male has risen to great power. Those key events are very important because now the Haitian and French revolution are now known as famous revolution of these great historic events and Haiti became the first free republic and humans right was given to all

Toussaint L’Ouverture was born in 1743 in Saint Domingue on a plantation in Cap-Haïtien. He was quite prodigious as a young child: rather than working as a field slave and toiling in the hot sun, he began his slave existence as a herder. Later on, he became a coach driver and waiter for his owner. Ultimately, his owner saw such promise in him that he appointed L’Ouverture as an overseer of fellow slaves who were working in the field. Throughout his tenure, being a more “upscale” slave, he was given access to the plantation library. It was in that library that L’Ouverture’s godfather taught him how to read and write, and the seeds of his future were sown.

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

One way the French Revolution impacted the Haitian Revolution was by changing the mindsets of the Haitians in all social classes. The events occurring in France opened the Haitians’ eyes to a point where slaves weren’t the only ones in Haiti who wanted a change, but thanks to the French Revolution, everyone was angry. To begin with, the grand blancs wanted to terminate their trade agreement with France so they could sell to the highest bidder and keep the money they earned. Like the members of the Third Estate, they didn’t want to be controlled by the weak and tyrannical French monarchy. Speaking of the Third Estate, they might have been located in France, but the petit blancs still associated themselves with them, which is logical, as they were poor working classmen. These blancs were inspired by the citizens in France and their determination, as well as their desire for acquiring the rights they felt they deserved. Nevertheless, they turned to violent measures and began attacking the grand blancs. The petit blancs weren’t the only ones who wanted to be treated equally to the grand blancs; the gens de couleur had a yearning for this as well. Although they had

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

Toussaint L’ouverture was not only a good liberator but he was also a great ruler of Saint Domingue. Saint Domingue was not a good country without Toussaint. Toussaint was a great leader for Saint Domingue and changed their lives forever. He wrote a document that restricted the slaves. (Doc. C) He created this document so that the slaves are free but, they still have to follow the rules like all the others. Toussaint also created a proclamation stating that “Any individual… tending to incite sedition shall be brought before a court martial and be punished in conformity with the law.” (Doc. D) Toussaint states here that if any slave that breaks the law will go to the military court and be punished with the law. He uses this law to help all the

Toussaint L’ouverture must be remembered by how he was a good liberator for the slaves. Like, during 1791, a slave revolt began in the north of Saint Domingue, Toussaint joined the revolution and served as a doctor and commanded a small part of the slave soldiers. (Doc. A) His courage to join the revolt and help the slaves that got injured shows that he is dedicated to the slaves and shows that he is a superior liberator. When the French Directory was the government they replaced the government that had abolished slavery. (Doc. B) Toussaint wrote a letter to the French Directory to help the slaves and make them free for the second time. He tried to help the slaves as much as he could. When Toussaint got the French Directory to free the

The Abolitionists and the Pro-Slavery population of the United States each took the story of Toussaint Louverture and tried to use it to further their cause. The Pro-Slavery South often told of the story of the horrific Haitian Revolution. It told of vengeful African slaves committing unspeakable acts of violence against innocent and defenseless white men, women, and children. The pro-slavery press documented the horrors of Saint Domingue at great length. “Upwards of one hundred thousand savage people, habituated to the barbarities of Africa, avail themselves of the silence and obscurity of the night, and fall on the peaceful and unsuspicious planter, like so many famished tigers thirsting for human blood.”1 Bryan Edwards, a chief antagonist of slavery to British Parliament, wrote multiple narratives that provided the text for images of the revolution that would haunt generations of American slaveowners.

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.

Toussaint was born into slavery on May 20th, 1743. On the events of August 22, 1791 the “Night of FIre” inspired Toussaint to join in the revolt. Toussaint joined the slave insurgency and proved himself as a capable soldier. And as a military secretary. Eventually he became a leader figure, and was accepted by many Haitians as such. France denied his and the people’s of Haiti’s declaration of Toussaint being the leader of the Colony. Toussaint was eventually captured by the French and died in fort Joux while the war in Haiti continued. The question is, was Toussaint truly a great leader?

Slavery on Saint Domingue took a nasty turn against the white and mix raced people living there. “On the night of October 29, a revolt broke out on the Northern Plain – whites were massacred from Fort Liberté to the gates of Cap Français” (Doc. E). This Revolt was a declaration of something big, freedom. Toussaint encouraged the freedom of slaves when claiming “how could men just watch calmly as their liberty is being taken away” and “we know how to confront danger to our liberty,” (Doc. B). This is all evidence of his support of the abolishment of slavery and how he wants and knows how to keep it free for all in Saint

Before looking at whether or not Toussaint L’Ouverture was a true follower of the enlightenment, we must have to know who he is first. L’Ouverture was born a slave until the start of the Haitian Revolution in Saint Domingue or modern day Haiti. Despite being a slave most of his life and having no military prowess, L’Ouverture quickly became

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

Phillips argues that despite many odds, he routs the British, the French, and the Spaniards: “from the reluctant testimony of Britons, Frenchmen, Spaniards” As a result of these numerous European defeats, history is reluctantly written to acknowledge the losses suffered by Europe and the triumph of the Haitians. This helps the audience understand that L'Ouverture is not be underestimated, which then enables a sense of reverence for L'Ouverture. Phillips goes on to argue that L'Ouverture is self made and was victorious by virtue of his own skills: “[Toussaint] forged a thunderbolt and hurled it” This

While he maintains the importance of the mass movement in the revolution, James also shows the importance of a powerful and influential leader. For the slaves of San Domingo, this leader was the ex-slave Toussaint L'Ouverture. Toussaint had been uniquely prepared for