The Haitian War for Independence

The Haitian War for Independence

Kaan Orgun

Causes

Were The Goals Achieved?

Toussaint L'Overture

Overview

Toussaint L'Ouverture was born a slave on a plantation in the French colony of Saint-Domingue in 1743. He was freed by his master, who had seen his intelligence. When the revolution started in 1791, he felt indebted to his master but identified with the slaves. He created his own army, and fought against the French alongside the Spanish and British. After the French abolished slavery, he switched sides and fought on behalf of them instead. His troops easily defeated the Spanish and British, and meanwhile he weakened the power of the French on the island. By 1898, he essentially ruled Saint-Domingue. As his power ballooned, mulatto uprisings threatened his grip on power, so he crushed the revolts of Andre Rigaud that were financed by the French. L'Ouverture then conquered the Spanish territories,and proclaimed himself governor for life of Haiti. The many competing groups fighting in Haiti gave Napoleon the perfect opportunity to invade, and he did so in 1801. He was forced to surrender in 1802, and L'Ouverture was arrested and sent to France, where he died a year later.

The main goals of the Haitian revolution were to abolish slavery and establish a government where blacks held power independent from France. All of these goals were achieved, but resulted in a loss of many lives. At the beginning of the revolution in 1793, a Jacobin official, Sonthonax, was sent to Saint-Domingue to end the revolt. In an effort to end the violence, he abolished slavery, hoping that it would unite the French and slaves against other invading European countries. Unfortunately, this only led to greater problems as the white plantation owners aimed to reestablish the practice and mulattoes rebelled against the new government led by the general Toussaint L'Ouverture, a former slave. Sonthonax had been sent away from the island, and now former slaves were the ones in charge of the government. The French then again attacked the island, and forced L'Ouverture to surrender. Napoleon, now leader of France, reintroduced a system of oppression towards blacks, which led to more fights, until he was forced to evacuate his troops after they suffered substantial losses. Blacks now controlled Haiti. In 1804, Haiti became independent, and the revolution's last goal was achieved.

A combination of many factors led the Haitians to revolt against the French and the wealthy plantation owners. First, slaves were the core of Saint-Domigue's economic significance, providing the physical labor needed to harvest sugar. The slaves endured physical violence, extremely long hours, and intolerable treatment by their owners even though they were the industry's backbone. They essentially had no rights. This brutality against slaves was a major reason for the revolt. In addition to this, although blacks heavily outnumbered whites on the island, they were still considered inferior to the Europeans, even the free blacks that had escaped. Slaves were inspired by Enlightenment philosophers, like Jean-Jacques Rousseau, that disputed slavery. Further increasing the possibility of a revolt was the recent announcement of the Declaration of the Rights of Man, which stated that all men are equal, and that no man may own another. However, a revision was made stating that these rights were only given to children of free slaves that owned property. This made the slaves in Saint-Domingue ever more eager to revolt. All of these factors put together brought on the bloody Haitian Revolution, and its consequences.

The Haitian War for Independence was a fight between the colonists and their slaves on the French colony of Saint-Domingue, in the Caribbean Sea. It was the major producer of sugar in the world at the time, and France benefited from its huge monopoly. In 1791, a former slave, Touissant L'Ouverture, led a revolt against the French rule, and succeeded. He later made peace with France after the Revolution, but this was not lasting. In 1802, Napoleon's troops invaded, and arrested L'Ouverture. With help from the British, the Haitians once again defeated the French, and established a dictatorship led by a general, Jean-Jacques Dessalines.

Jean-Jacques Dessalines

Works Cited

Jean-Jacques Dessalines was born in either Africa or in Saint-Domingue to African parents, in 1758. He was a field slave, laboring for a white master until he was bought by a free black man. In 1791, he joined the Revolution, fighting the French for control of the island. He became acquainted with Toussaint L'Ouverture in the ranks of the rebels and later shifted his allegiances to the French, who had abolished slavery. As the Revolution went on, his military rank rose, becoming second-in-command to L'Ouverture. When France, seeking more control of the colony, tried to invade Haiti, Dessalines led the former slaves against them, then against L'Ouverture, and against the French once again when it became clear that they wanted to bring slavery back. Dessalines defeated the French, established Haiti's independence in 1804, and proclaimed himself emperor. With his new power, he ordered the genocide of whites on the island, not trusting them after slavery and their allegiance to France. He was assassinated in 1806, but his legacy of being the founder of the nation remains.

Beck, Roger B., et. al. "Latin American Peoples Win Independence." Modern World History:

Patterns of Interaction. [Student Text] ed. Orlando, FL.: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Pub., 2007. 248. Print.

This textbook helped me get a brief explanation of the Haitian Revolution. The chapter that I used contains the revolts and independence of European colonies in North America. Its chronological order helped me understand the domino effect of the Haitian Revolution, and how it led to even more rebellions against their mother countries. This source is reliable because it is widely used as an educational tool for students across the U.S.

Dubois, Laurent. Haiti: The Aftershocks of History. 1st ed. New York: Metropolitan, 2012.

Print.

This book provided insights into the causes of Haiti’s poverty, and links it to the Revolution’s consequences. Haiti was economically and diplomatically isolated from the world as a result of the bloody revolt, and was forced to pay an immense debt to France to recompense the damages done to slaveholders. Overall, this gave me a view of how unjust governments were back then, as Haiti sank into extreme poverty as a result of France’s extreme actions. This book is reliable because its author is a respected scholar that focuses on revolutions and Haiti, in particular. He is a professor at Duke University.

James, C. L. R. "A Land of Slavery Purified by Fire." The Black Jacobins: Toussaint

L'Ouverture and the San Domingo Revolution." New York: Vintage, 1963. Modern World History Online. Facts on File, Inc. Web. 12 Mar. 2015. <http://online.infobase.com/HRC/Search/PrimarySourceDetails?primarySourceId=6622>.

This article gives a brief account of Toussaint L’Ouverture’s life and leadership of Haiti. In addition, it provides an example of Toussaint L’Ouverture’s speech to Haitians, so it contains a primary source. The words incite violence against invaders, and promotes liberty while drawing attention to their ill treatment. Clearly, it shows how L’Ouverture was able to lead the Haitians through many different fights with his powerful words, and encourage people to take part in it. It is reliable because it is a first-hand account of what he said.

Reill, Peter Hanns, and Ellen Judy Wilson. "Haitian Revolution." Encyclopedia of the

Enlightenment, Revised Edition. 2004. Modern World History Online. Facts On File, Inc. Web. 12 Mar. 2015. <http://online.infobase.com/HRC/Search/Details/269621?q=haitian revolution>.

This source was instrumental in giving me a detailed account of the Haitian Revolution, without being too confusing. However, it still showed how complex the shifting alliances on the island were, and how many different groups struggled to both cooperate and fight against each other for control of the profitable colony. Because this is in an encyclopedia by two historians, it is a reliable source.

"The United States and the Haitian Revolution, 1791–1804." U.S. Department of State - Office

of the Historian. United States Department of State. Web. 13 Mar. 2015. <https://history.state.gov/milestones/1784-1800/haitian-rev>.

This article was obtained directly from the U.S. government’s page, so I can assume that it is most likely reliable, but perhaps biased in favor of the U.S. This article showed how even the United States, another colony that claimed independence in the New World, was scared of Haiti and its revolution and tried to stop the Revolution. Since slaves were such a large part of economies around the world at the time, rebellions were considered a very dangerous security threat, both financially and because of violence. This helped me understand that the isolation of Haiti was instituted to prevent more revolts.

Effects

Chain Reaction

Timeline

Images

Toussant L'Ouverture,

a major proponent of the Haitian Revolution.

The Haitian Revolution directly led to revolts in other European-controlled colonies in the New World. It was a perfect example of overcoming a long-established European power and the formation of a sovereign state. A chain reaction then ensued. Napoleon, who had been planning on a massive French colonial expansion in the New World, was forced to abandon his vision after the Haitian Revolution. Instead, he focused on creating a unified Europe under the French Empire. During the Peninsular War between Spain and France, many Creoles questioned their government. Encouraged by the revolts in Haiti, Mexico succeeded in fighting the Spanish and gaining independence. Meanwhile, in South America, Creoles were eager for independence from Spain, but were scared that slave rebellions like those on Saint-Domingue would ensue. However, Haiti proved that independence was still possible, and two generals, Jose de San Martin and Simon Bolivar, led the Spanish viceroyalties to independence. Brazil also followed in Haiti's path, declaring independence from Brazil and establishing an empire. Haiti's revolution provided inspiration for colonies in the New World, and because Napoleon turned his sights to Europe as a result of the Revolution, the uncertainty gave the people of the New World a perfect opportunity to declare independence.

The Haitian Revolution had a huge impact on the world, given that it was the first nation in the New World to abolish slavery and establish a government comprised of blacks. First, France had lost a very profitable colony in the Caribbean, and had to look elsewhere for money. It eventually sold the Louisiana Territory to the U.S. as a result. Also, the bloody revolts frightened governments across the world, thinking it would inspire revolutions in their own countries. Because of this, Haiti was politically and economically isolated from the rest of the world, as no other country wanted to reward the Haitians or have its ideas of rebellions spread. Haiti had to be self-sufficient, as trading with other countries was not as common. In 1825, Haiti signed a treaty with France ending the isolation, but at a a high price that left the nation in extreme poverty. Politically, Haiti became split into a kingdom in the north and a republic in the south after Dessalines"s assassination. The Haitian Revolution led to nationalism in other colonies in the New World, and later revolts and independence from their mother countries. Socially, Haiti was led by mulattoes at the top of society and former slaves underneath, as mulattoes were typically more educated. The age-old social divide still exists today, with mulattoes being more privileged. Whites were executed or forced to flee Haiti, and were massacred in 1804.

Haitian slaves laboring on a plantation.

A depiction of a Haitian sugar plantation.

1791- Saint-Domingue slaves begin their revolt. They quickly gain territory and begin a civil war between the slave rebels and the French plantation owners. Plantations are destroyed and more than 100,000 slaves participate.

1793- The French, now under a Jacobin government, send a government representative, Sonthonax. He abolishes slavery, eager to end the slave revolt and return Saint-Domingue to stability. This was also used to promote the French image and to stop the invading Spanish and British from gaining support. Warring factions continue to fight.

1797- Sonthonax is forced from the island by the general Toussaint L'Ouverture to solidify his power. Ministers declare their allegiance to L'Ouverture, and he essentially has full control over Saint-Domingue. He gains land in the west from the British. The French sees his latest actions as hostile, and now have little power over the colony.

1798- British make peace with the Haitians. The French send another representative, Hedouville, who tries to reinstate the old order of Saint-Domingue. He replaces black soldiers with French ones, which infuriates the Haitians, as they suspect that slavery might also be reinstated.

1804- After French forces are defeated after fighting with Dessalines, Haiti declares its independence from France. Dessalines, who was in control of Haiti since L'Ouverture was arrested and taken to France, names himself governor for life, and later emperor. He orders a mass killing of the whites still left on the island, wanting only mulattoes and blacks to remain. To keep the sugar plantations running, Dessalines has everyone work on the island, but with shorter hours and better conditions. The result of the Revolution is a dictatorship.

Jean-Jacques Dessalines, the first leader of the independent nation of Haiti, and named himself emperor.

Scenes of fighting during the Haitian Revolution.

A scene from the 1804 massacre ordered by Dessalines.

This map shows the date of independence of Latin American countries, starting with Haiti's independence.

Image by goodtextures: http://fav.me/d2he3r8