The Haitian Revolution was a series of conflicts that took place between and General unrest arose in the early s from the conflicting interests of the various ethnic, racial, and political groups in Saint-Domingue (now Haiti). A major slave revolt began in August · The Haitian revolution had started for several reasons the collapse of the French monarchy, the existence of a large mixed race-class and the extreme conditions in St blogger.com revolution led to the complete abolition of slavery in St Domingue. It brought about the emergence of some influential leaders such as Toussaint L’ouverture a domestic slave who became a The Haitian Revolution Essay Words | 10 Pages. 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
The Haitian Revolution
During the Haitian revolution, haitian revolution essay, the series of issues that unfolded in St. Domingue were unprecedented and completely new, and followed the American revolution of and French revolution ofa third great revolution that had devastating implications on the countries still under the link of colonialism and slavery, haitian revolution essay.
The revolt began in from black slaves in island of Hispaniola. Their revolution was against the French owners of plantations and slavery, although the revolution later became political lasting more than 12 years, and resulting into independence from colonization by France. By the end of the revolution, complete destruction had been done to the plantation system, the institution of slavery, and domination by the white population.
Consequently, Haiti became the first black republic to gain independence. On the eve of the Haitian revolution, St. Domingue, was the most prosperous French occupation, accounting for more than 70 per cent of all French possession a broad.
France highly depended on St. Domingue, with one in every eight French citizen depending on St. Domingue directly or indirectly for their survival. Every year, more that boats loaded with indigo, sugar and coffee departed St.
Between andclose toslave workers were imported form Africa, with more that 50, slaves imported in alone. This demonstrates that the slave trade was in full force and implacable in St. By the end of the 18 th century, St, haitian revolution essay. Domingue was the richest French colony in the west.
Based on forced labor from African slaves and with extensive sugar and coffee systems, St. Domingue was the wealthiest island of all the European colonies in the Caribbean region. A lively trade developed between St. Domingue and North America; merchants from England supplied the island with horses, food and equipment in exchange for sugar processing by-products such as molasses which was converted into rum. As at the population of St.
Domingue consisted of about 28, mulattoes and free blacks, 40, whites andblack slaves. The small population of the whites was divided between the upper class, made up of about 10, aristocrats, and about 30, middle class composed of artisans, solders and haitian revolution essay keepers James, The island was protected by 13, military men who served to protect the island from revolt and prevent sabotage to the sugar plantation and factories.
Theses classes of population had nothing in common between then. Allied to the middle and first class whites were the mulattoes offspring of elite whites and black womenwho wanted to share in the privileges of the whites. However, the mulattoes did not find it easy; they faced racial discrimination due to their parental background. In turn, the mulattoes despised haitian revolution essay black slaves, same as the whites. To maintain divisions between haitian revolution essay whites and blacks, the Black Code was instituted in preventing people from crossing racial boundaries, enforcing strict relations among the free racial groups.
Bythe slave population in the vast Caribbean island totaled to more thanMost of the slaves were of African descent. At the time, the death rate exceeded the birth rates, and as such the importation of slaves from Africa continued. Annual decline in slave population was due to the imbalance between the sexes of the slaves: more men than women; and overwork; inadequate medical care, food, clothing and shelter. Some slaves worked for the elite class in the urban areas as personal servants, cooks and laborers around the houses in the plantations.
This class of relatively privileged slaves was mainly of American descent, while the Africa-born, under-class slaves worked under abusive conditions in the plantations. The region of Plane du Nord on the haitian revolution essay shores of St. Domingue was the largest and most fertile of the sugar plantations. The region was economically important, haitian revolution essay, particularly because most French trade went through haitian revolution essay ports in that region.
Le Cap Francias was the capital of the French St. Domingue and the busiest port. Due to the economical importance of this region it was occupied by the rich upper-class white colonist, who wanted economical monopoly of the region. Consequently the region was exclusively dominated by the upper-class whites while the middle class whites were scattered in other regions of St. Of the close to 40, whites who lived in St. Domingue, French-born European whites monopolized all administrative posts.
The grand Blancs and the sugar planters were mainly considered as minor aristocrats. Most of these administrators moved back to France as shortly as possible, hopping to escape yellow, a popular fatal disease at the time James, Haitian revolution essay lower-class whites petits blancs composed the slave leaders, shopkeepers and overseers. Domingue was also haitian revolution essay by rival tension between the west, south and north.
Northern St. Domingue was the centre for trading and shipping, and therefore was occupied by elite French population. The southern region of Haitian revolution essay. Domingue lagged behind in wealth and development, being geographically detached from other parts of the colony. However, this isolation of haitian revolution essay western region allowed trade between freed blacks and Jamaica to flourish, haitian revolution essay blacks to gain wealth and power in this region.
The western region grew significantly in wealth, particularly after the capital was moved to Port-au-Prince. This made the region to become increasingly wealthy, particularly in the second half of the 18 th century. Besides, there were always regional tensions between allies of Great Britain who changed the colony of St. Domingue and the proponent of independence loyal to Spain and France Geggus and Fiering, While the upper-class whites enjoyed luxury and life indulgence in northern St.
Domingue, haitian revolution essay, middle class whites lived in less luxurious conditions in the west, and the blacks existed harshly in the southern parts. The blacks spent long hours laboring in St. Most of the black populations died form starvation and overwork. Although the blacks were protected by laws from torture and physical abuse, the reality was that the slaves could be killed, mutilated or tortured by their owners.
And since most slaves were not born in slavery, being imported from Africa where they lived in freedom, adapting to slavery conditions was not easy to them. The African slaved also carried and practiced their culture and religion, even though it was illegalized by the colony. Their religion, haitian revolution essay, known as Voodoo, gave the rallying point to fight for their rights.
Black slaves had been seeking to escape and run away from their owners ever since they arrived in St. Most of them were waiting for an auspicious moment to put the end to slavery and organize a popular uprising.
In ,with the dominant whites split into two and with the mulattoes fighting for equality, the back slaves staged a general rebellion against their owners, destroying crops and plantations and killing whites.
Byhaitian revolution essay, slave revolts in St. Domingue had transformed into a full-scale civil revolution. Looking for support from the black slaves to defeat the upper-class whites, haitian revolution essay, haitian revolution essay white French officials got rid of slavery in St.
While fierce fighting continued between t various social groups, Britain and Spain sent forces to capture the territory. Earlier accounts of black slave revolt took advantage of the element of surprise. In order to counteract rebellion the colonies requested for assistance from France. Colonists who fled St. Domingue and sought refuge in other areas such as Philadelphia spread the news that barbarism and brutality was widespread in St. Domingue and believed that it was important plans for gradual abolitions of slavery was needed.
Other slave powers such as England, Portugal, the United States Holland and Spain wanted to make sure that such rebellions do not happen to them. While it is not clear what caused the Haitian Revolution, haitian revolution essay, most reports believe that the Society of Friends of Blacks greatly influenced the revolution.
Other believes that the idea of revolution was already in the minds of most slaves given the lessons from the French Revolution Kraft, Perhaps the prominent factor that ignited revolution was the conditions of life which the slaves forced to live. The Code Noir, for example, demanded haitian revolution essay obedience from slaves to their owners and regulated their daily activities James, Domingue turned into a killing field, where human lives were sacrificed for profit.
The condition for labor was so brutal that most of the slaves died within two years of their haitian revolution essay. In addition the slaves seldom reproduce, women slaves often aborted to prevent their potential children form being born in slavery Kraft, This mead tat the white masters had to continually replenish their supply of new slaves.
Prior to the revolution inmore that three quarters of slaves in St. Domingue were of African descent and experienced minimal freedom in the last ten years of their lives, haitian revolution essay.
Besides, the Code Noir did not permit slaves to lodge any complains against their owners. Most slaves died of harsh working conditions or starvation, women slaves lived in constant fear and were brutally treated and continually raped by their masters.
And because the state of slavery meant that they were properties of their owners, the owners could do anything they please, including rape James, Slaves worked under these conditions, with the permanent fear of whip by the overseers.
Slaves who attempted to escape automatically became fugitives and were subjected to several tortures mutilations, feet chained, arms hacked offand most tortures ended in death of slaves. Basically, the daily lives of slaves were same as the experiences in concentration camps.
It is easy to understand why the affair for an insurrection was sought out for and waited with a lot of patience. Black slaves and white masters constantly engaged in violent conflicts.
Most of these conflicts revolved around slaves escaping form the plantations. Most of these escapees lived off what they could steal from the plantations. Most runaway slaves lived in the woods far way from their masters.
How did the Haitian Revolution change the world?
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· Haitian revolution Essay The Haitian Revolution (–) was a slave revolt in the French colony of Saint-Domingue, which culminated in the elimination of slavery there and the founding of the Republic of Haiti. The Haitian Revolution was the only slave revolt which led to the founding of a state · The Haitian revolution had started for several reasons the collapse of the French monarchy, the existence of a large mixed race-class and the extreme conditions in St blogger.com revolution led to the complete abolition of slavery in St Domingue. It brought about the emergence of some influential leaders such as Toussaint L’ouverture a domestic slave who became a The Haitian Revolution Essay Words | 10 Pages. 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
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