THE HAITIAN REVOLUTION

Causes:(1)The French
Revolution
▪ The trouble starts in 1789
with the French Revolution
(Declaration of the Rights
of Man)

▪ The “Gens de couleur”

citizens of the colony
demand equal rights

▪ The ruling white class

refuses

▪ Threats of violence
Causes: (2) Social Tension

▪ Grievances and discrimination among

different social groups
Grands blancs-wanted equality and respect as
French citizens.
Petits blancs wanted equality as well and
respect and fraternity.
Gens de coleur wanted equality with the Grands
blancs
Slaves wanted liberty.
Other causes

(3) The extreme conditions in St. Domingue

(4) The large numbers of African slaves
imported into St. Domingue in a short period
of time. Most of these slaves were brought in
tribal batches which resulted in a more
close-knit slave community.
(5) An intelligent and strong-willed leader in
Toussaint L’Ouverture.
Vincent Oge’s rebellion

Oge, representing the Friends of the Negroes

organization, goes to St. Domingue to plead
for the cause of mixed-race people as slave
owners. He was arrested and executed.
Two regiments of French soldiers that are sent
to help the government keep order throw
their support behind the mixed-race group
and the Africans, telling them that the
National Assembly in France had declared all
men equal and free.
Oge is broken at the wheel
 Start of the Revolution
In 1791, a voodoo priest /
“maroon” leader named
Boukman Dutty sparked a slave
uprising
▪ Terrorized whites
▪ Burned plantations
▪ Freed slaves
They took control of the country side but not
the capital.
Saint-Domingue’s white colonists make a deal
with the British for help
▪ Believed the French government
cared little for them
▪ Desired independence
Destruction of French plantations
Course of the revolt

▪ Whites and coloureds join force against the

blacks
▪ They march to Port-au-Prince and the upset
slaves burn down 2/3 of the capital by the
evening.
▪ Toussaint starts to train the slaves in guerilla
tactics to fight the French in St. Domingue
▪ Spanish authorities ally with the slaves against
the whites and coloureds.
▪ British forces land in St. Domingue to suppress
the slave revolt.
Course of revolt

▪ Toussaint then joins the French in order to

fight the British and is made a general by the
French govt.
▪ British withdraw from St. Domingue
▪ Napoleon sends 20,000 troops to St.
Domingue to overthrow Toussaint and
restore slavery in colony.
▪ Toussaint and Leclerc come to an agreement
and Leclerc informs Toussaint that the
agreement has been accepted. (Betrayal??)
 Toussaint’s petition:
▪ The truce would be based on the following
conditions:
1. Freedom for all blacks in St. Domingue
2. Preservation of the ranks and duties of native
army officers
3. Toussaint and his staff to continue working
until he chooses to retire in any part of the
colony.
Leclerc betrays him and he is arrested and put on
a ship to France along with his wife, son and
neice.
 Toussaint L’Ouverture
▪ Toussaint L'Ouverture is one of
the most successful of the
African revolutionaries (1743-1803)
▪ Brilliant businessman /
general
▪ Well-educated in Enlightenment
Philosophy
▪ Believed a black “messiah”
would rise to lead the slaves to
victory
 How does L’Ouverture turns the
revolution around?
▪ L'Ouverture is a master
manipulator
▪ Gains help from the Spanish to
defeat the British
▪ Switches the French in return
for an end to slavery / defeats
the Spanish
▪ By 1796, L'Ouverture is declared
governor of the colony
▪ Wants to create an all-black
Republic
▪ Expels all whites / foreigners
 Course continued
▪ Blacks begin revolting in the north, then in the
south and west regions as rumours spread of
the French gov’t restoring slavery.
▪ French army attacks the coloureds and kill
hunderds.
▪ Coloureds revolt against the French.
▪ Toussaint dies
▪ Coloureds and slaves join forces and attack the
French. French surrender to the British.
▪ Declaration of independence. Colony renamed
(December 31, 1803)
 Factors contributing to success of
the revolution
1. The success of the French revolution had an impact
(a) Coloureds and slaves in Haiti wanted equality
(b) Ideological influence-Liberty, Equality, Fraternity

2. Disunity among coloureds and planters gave the

enslaved a good opportunity to fight for their own
freedom.
(a) Enslaved Africans were able to use the disunity to
gain information from both groups.
 Factors continued..

3. Strong leadership played a role in the

successful outcome
(a) Leaders emerged who gave proper guidance
to the enslaved Africans
(b) Some leaders, such as L’ouverture, were
good strategists who acted at opportune
times.
(c) Leaders emerged who were trained in
guerilla warfare and who then used their
knowledge to train an enslaved ‘army’.
 Impact of Haitian Revolution
on Haiti
1. Complete abolition of slavery in St.
Domingue.
2. Emergence of influential leaders such as
Boukman Dutty, Andre Rigaud, Alexandre
Petion and Toussaint L’Ouverture.
3. It severely changed Haiti’s economic status
(great infrastructural destruction-roads,
bridges, harbours, etc.)
4. Sugar production declined severely.
Impact on Haiti continued…

5. Exodus of whites from the islands who

carried with them their capital, technology
and skills in sugar production.
6. It brought poor relations between Africans,
coloureds and whites.
Impact on Wider Caribbean

1. There was an increase in production in some

other Caribbean countries, for example
Cuba. The decline in coffee production in St.
Domingue provided an opportunity for Cuba
and Jamaica to increase their markets for
coffee.
2. Encouraged the rise in sugar production of
other Caribbean colonies as these planters
migrated to other colonies and invested
their money there.
Impact on Wider Caribbean

3. Promoted the idea of abolition of slavery in

British colonies. Some abolitionists used the
Haitian Revolution to justify their anti-slavery
views.
4. It served as inspiration to the enslaved
population and created fear among the
enslavers.