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The Haitian Declaration Of Independence - 1804

Jean-Jacques Dessalines

Context knowledge

Context/Background

  • The Haitian revolution started on 1791 to 1804
  • It was conflicts of Haitian slaves and British Armies Vs. French colonizers.
  • 1st- The French had settled on the colony of Saint-Dominguez, which became their most profitable colony.
  • They brought in slaves (mostly from Africa) and forced them to slave labor.
  • The slaves worked on the sugar plantations and coffee.

Context p. 2

Context/Background

  • The slaves began to revolt against the French because they had found out about the declaration of Rights of Man and Citizen. They believed that the French King had freed them.
  • After the Petit Blancs began arguing with the French government about their rights, in August 1791, the slaves also revolted.
  • When France saw that they couldn't fight the British, the Spanish, and the Slaves, they decided to free the slaves.

Context p. 3

  • Toussaint L'ouverture had led the slaves to freedom, becoming one of the most successful slave revolts in the French Caribbean.
  • Although slavery was abolished, the plantations were still worked by the people, they were just paid and not slaves anymore.
  • Then, when Napoleon became ruler, he wanted to get money to rebuild and tried re-instituting slavery in Saint-Domingue.
  • A guerrilla war started on the colony but the former slaves had the upper hand.

Context/ background

  • Yellow fever struck killing most french troops

Revolution importance

Revolution Importance

  • After most French troops were hit by disease, Jean-Jacques Dessalines declared the island of Saint-Domingue independent and renamed it to Haiti. (January 1st, 1804)
  • Haiti became the second free and independent nation state in the Americas.
  • It was a very successful slave revolt.
  • Haiti was the first modern nation to be governed by people of African descent.
  • After the revolution, the Declaration was lost until February 2010.

Jean-Jacques Dessalines

(Born: 1758, West Africa -

Died Oct.17, 1806, Port-Au-Prince, Haiti)

Author:

Jean-Jacques Dessalines

  • Was brought to Haiti as a slave and worked on the fields.
  • Joined the slave rebellion in 1791, and worked for L'ouverture for a decade.
  • When L'ouverture was deposed, Dessalines assumed power and rose in rebellion against the French once again.
  • On January 1st, 1804, declared the Island independent and renamed it Haiti.
  • After, he ruled and became autocratic, still imposing L'ouverture's laws like forced labor.
  • He was killed by a revolt against him when he was 48.
  • Co-author: Louis Boisrond Tonnerre

Main Points of Haitian Declaration of Independence

Main Arguments/points

  • Ensuring freedom to Haiti forever.
  • Emphasizing that France never cared about them and never wanted what was best for them.
  • It also showed the people how they needed to stand up for those before them and for their futures too.
  • To promise that Haiti will not overpower other Caribbean nations.
  • To vow to never let themselves be chained again and forever reject France rule.

Important quotes

Quotes

  • "We must, with one last act of national authority, forever assure the empire of liberty in the country of our birth...In the end we must live independent or die." (Pg. 1)
  • "all tell us plainly that they are not our brothers, that they never will be" (Pg. 1)
  • "let us not, as revolutionary firebrands, declare ourselves the lawgivers of the Caribbean" (Pg. 2)
  • "'Anathama to the French name! Eternal hatred of France!'" (Pg. 2)
  • "Remember that I sacrificed everything to rally to your defense; family, children, fortune, and now I am rich only with your liberty; my name has become a horror to all those who want slavery."(Pg. 3)

Discussion questions

  • Do you think the Declaration was intended for someone other than the French?
  • In your opinion, Why was it important to mention that they were not going to overpower the Caribbean?
  • Do you think that the Haitian revolution and their Declaration of Independence influenced other nations to revolt as well? Why?
  • Even though France was hated in Haiti, why do you think they have kept part of the culture, like language, up to this day?
  • Do you think Dessalines wanted Tonnerre to co author the declaration because they would've been more respected if he did?
  • Were the haitians justified in revolting?

Discussion

Citations

CrashCourse. “Haitian Revolutions: Crash Course World History #30.” YouTube, uploaded by CrashCourse, 16 Aug. 2012, www.youtube.com/watch?v=5A_o-nU5s2U.

“Haiti - The Haitian Revolution.” Encyclopedia Britannica, www.britannica.com/place/Haiti/The-Haitian-Revolution#ref515795. Accessed 21 Oct. 2020.

“Jean-Jacques Dessalines | Emperor of Haiti.” Encyclopedia Britannica, 13 Oct. 2020, www.britannica.com/biography/Jean-Jacques-Dessalines.

“Louis Boisrond Tonnerre - TLP.” The Louverture Project, 2008, thelouvertureproject.org/index.php?title=Louis_Boisrond_Tonnerre.

“Rediscovering Haiti’s Declaration of Independence | The Declaration’s Text (in Translation).” Duke Office of News and Communications, today.duke.edu/showcase/haitideclaration/declarationstext.html. Accessed 21 Oct. 2020.

Citations

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