The Slave Revolution: The Causes Of The Haitian Revolution

Due to these shifts in policy and domestic concerns, the United States would not officially recognize Haitian independence until 1862. The revolution of African slaves brought many fears to colonies surrounding Haiti and the Caribbean. Prominent wealthy American slave owners, reading about the revolution, also read speculation about what might come in their own states. However, newspapers like the Columbian Centinel took the extra steps to support the revolution, in the sense that it was based on the foundations of the American Revolution.The French media also played an important role in the Haitian Revolution, with contributions that made many French upstarts quite interested in the young, passionate Toussaint 's writings of freedom. However, all was not simple in the press.

Freedom of any type, whether political, economic, social, is a universal right that should be guaranteed to everyone. In the late 18th century revolutionary wars began in France and Haiti. These two revolutions, significant in their own ways, both were influenced from ideas sparked by the enlightenment. Though some similarities, the revolutions were different in other ways as well. In France the peasant and middle classes fought to overthrow their monarch, while the Haitian slaves wanted their freedom by trying to overthrow the French government which at that time was controlling them.

In May 1971, the revolution started with the revolt of the slaves against the white settlers. The Haitian revolution changed the disputes about freedom and slavery, liberated people who fought for their freedom, and became the first black slave revolution won. The revolution started in 1791 and ended in 1804. In 1791 the revolution started in a revolt. The island that is now Haiti was a colony of one of the biggest colonist countries in the world, France.

In August 1791, the slaves of Saint Domingue took matters into their own hands and began a rebellion. The racism and torture they endured is what sparked the rebellion and created a whole revolution that reshaped the way Haiti is today. The Haitian Revolution is not a revolution that is not well known, but it is the most successful slave rebellion in the western hemisphere. The revolution was so successful and powerful because of Toussaint L’Ouverture, the man who led Saint Domingue to their independence. The power of the Haitian Revolution has left its mark on the world today because of its victory and success.

Toussaint then later in 1789 led the slaves out of slavery defeating the French. The French were shocked by this action from their colony; they also were worried that their moneymaking colony was going to rebel. Toussaint and his army got off to a fast start and never slowed down defeating the French when they sent military to control the rebellion. Toussaint was a genius by staying loyal to France as he built his army and made allies ... ... middle of paper ... ...thought the war was over and the Haitians were going to throw in the towel but they rallied together under Dessalines to win their freedom from France and become the second colony ever to become an independent nation. The Haitians beat the French proving that a revolution can be done to people and winning their freedom.

Indeed, the reduction of the Atlantic slave trade is conventionally accredited to the inception of Haitian Revolution. While it might have failed to inspire immediate revolutions within the Caribbean and eventually the world, the Haitian Revolution had a profound effect on the French Revolution as a case for many national emancipation movements. It is evident that the French Revolution determined the success of Haitian Revolution through the custom of racial hierarchy and subjugation in Haiti and through the spread of French Revolution’s ideals. These factors compelled the elite planters to either surrender some control or risk being subjected to violent rebellion.

They were able to overthrow an old ruling class and open way for a... ... middle of paper ... ... 1848. The Haitian Revolution was successful due to the large numbers of slaves and because the French were to preoccupied with their own problems during the French Revolution. The American, French and Haitian Revolution were similar in the fact that the slaves were being treated unequal and wanted equal rights, however the Haitian Revolution was the only successful revolution because during the French and American Revolution, the colonist and French were present to stop any uprisings from spreading too far. For the Haitian Revolution, the French were across the Atlantic and they had very large numbers of slaves. Works Cited Nash, Gary B..

Due to the difficult policing jobs given to the freed men with little reward, the communication between them and the white masters broke down. Now that the white slaveholders were on their own, it was only a matter of time before their brutal treatment of slaves would lead to an uprising. Once enslaved Africans received word of the revolution in France they too began demanding freedom. After years of civil unrest and vicious fighting, Haiti declared its freedom from France in January of 1804. What makes the Haitian Revolution more radical than the two before it is the fact that it was led by slaves.

Due to the difficult policing jobs given to the freed men with little reward, the communication between them and the white masters broke down. Now that the white slaveholders were on their own, it was only a matter of time before their brutal treatment of slaves would lead to an uprising. Once enslaved Africans received word of the revolution in France they too began demanding freedom. After years of civil unrest and vicious fighting, Haiti declared its freedom from France in January of 1804. What makes the Haitian Revolution more radical than the two before it is the fact that it was led by slaves.

Throughout the convoluted course of events, two larger trends emerged: First, the ideals of the rights of man extended further and further into Haitian society; and, second, slaves rejected their bondage and became committed to their freedom. In May 1791 the French Convention granted political rights to gens de couleur whose parents were born free, but this act only seemed to create even more agitation, antagonizing whites and opening up new possibilities for slaves. By the summer, slave uprisings had broken out in various parts of Saint Domingue, and royalists began to organize in opposition to the republicans of the French Revolution. In reward for their service in defending the republic, the French government extended political rights to the gens de couleur, regardless of birth, in April 1792... ... middle of paper ... ... keep their slaves (Pennsylvania had already passed a gradual-emancipation act). On the other hand, South Carolina admitted many masters and their slaves.