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Haitian Declaration Of Independence Research Paper

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The Revolutionary Cry of Haiti
The Haitian Declaration of Independence, was written by Louis Boisrond- Tonneree and read by General Dessalines on January 1, 1804. The document was then translated by Dr. Laurent Dubois and Dr. John Garrigus in the book Slave Revolution in the Caribbean 1789-1804: A Brief History with Documents. The Haitian declaration of Independence was heavily influenced by the French Revolution, which partly took place because of financial difficulty, i.e. price raises and taxes. Also, the commoners were unsatisfied with the system of hierarchy and wanted equality in all aspects: religious, political and social, just to name a few. The French commoners, nobles, along with a few clergies, invented The National Assembly. The …show more content…

The frustration of Haiti, which was named Saint Dominigue at the time, came from the ruler Napoleon Bonaparte who sent troops to Saint Dominigue to reintegrate slavery into the island once more. Back in 1790, free black men commanded the French to grant them equal rights based on The Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizens. An article from The Declaration of the Rights of a Man and Citizen states, “Men are born and remain free and equal in right.” Another article of the same document states, “The free communication of ideas and opinions is one of the most precious of the rights of man. Every citizen may, accordingly, speak, write, and print with freedom…” The French allowed black men their full rights under the Rights …show more content…

The Haitian Declaration of Independence was written in French instead of their native kreyole. The meeting of the declaration took place in Gonaives and was headed by one of the late Toussaint’s generals, Jean-Jacques Dessalines. Saint Domingue’s name officially changed to what we know now as Haiti. Less than 350,000 Haitians survived the revolt. Although many Caribbean islands revolted, Haiti by far carried the most success. Inevitably, slavery ended in Haiti, however, the land was left poor and the soil was left destroyed. There was once opportunity in Haiti, the French were aware that Haiti was rich in sugars, coffee, indigo and cotton. Dessalines was now in power and being aware of the economic downfall of Haiti, he reinstalled the sugar plantation industry. As imagined, free people were not willing to do a slave’s work and thus the restoration of the sugar plantation failed

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The white colonies were the only people who had somewhat of a say in government but mostly France had full control. The Haitian Revolution challenged this status quo on a major scale as the Haitian revolution freed the enslaved citizens and created a society where every member was equal. Napoleon did try to establish slavery after the revolution for France which ultimately fell short. According to “Haitian Independence Proclaimed” after Napoleon's act of trying to regain control, General Dessalines emerged victorious and assumed dictatorial power leading Haiti to become the second independent nation in the Americans. The status quo before the revolution where the white elites made up the colonial ruling class and owned my plantations was completely eliminated.

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There are several similarities and differences between the American and Haitian Declarations of Independence. The Haitian Declaration of Independence seems to focus primarily on freeing themselves from the French’s influence and slavery. Several times throughout the document, the French are referred to as a tyranny. It is very clear that the new Haitian government wants nothing to do with the French. In fact, they want to “wash away” all memories of what life was like with the French in power.

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Toussaint Louverture was the most influential leader of the Haitian Revolution, which, under his leadership, became the only successful slave revolution in history. Among Toussaint’s qualities that enabled the success of the revolution, one aspect that stands out is his diplomatic acumen; with the establishment of the “Louvertorian State” in 1798, Toussaint built complex foreign relations for the benefit of the revolution. Ironically, however, Haiti’s decline as an independent nation is closely correlated with its failures in diplomacy. Nevertheless, it is undeniable that Toussaint Louverture pursued a foreign policy that was crucial to Saint-Domingue’s fight for independence, as it allowed a gradual break-away from the French empire and established friendly relationships with France’s political enemies at that time.

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After thinking, I realized that, along with Haiti, many other islands in the Caribbean had been or still were under colonization and being oppressed. The use of the word “island” here can be seen as a call to battle to all other islands in the Caribbean who are being oppressed by their colonizers. Although not immediately following the Haitian War of Independence, many of the fellow Countries that were being oppressed in the Caribbean slowly began to realize and fight for their independence. For this reason, I find the use of the word “island” in this quote very

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However, Haiti was an entirely unexpected circumstance. Haiti was a province of France and was misused for its monetary purposes and as a noteworthy market slave exchange. Consequently, it was under a remote control that had no goal of giving rights or freedom to the slaves. So, when France began writing its Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen, it started many minor slave rebellions, eventually causing

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L’Ouverture hoped to gain full independence and liberation of slaves on the entire island of Haiti. However, France had no intention of letting Haiti go free. When Napoleon Bonaparte sent troops to reclaim Haiti for France, he failed because his troops died from yellow fever. As a result, the independent nation of Haiti was born. The outcome of the Haitian Revolution was in favor of the slaves on the island because they gained their freedom from the French and Spanish.

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Toussaint Louverture and the Haitian Revolution inspired millions of free and enslaved people of African descent to seek freedom and equality throughout the Atlantic world. Toussaint and other black leaders of Saint-Domingue helped to lead the only Atlantic slave society which successfully defeated its oppressors. The former slaves were able to achieve freedom and equality by political and military force, when they defeated the advances of French, British, and Spanish troops. In 1804, they created the second independent Republic in the western hemisphere. As Toussaint Louverture’s life story helps demonstrate, the Haitian Revolution was a complex series of conflicts and alliances between different classes, populations, and political interests.

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The Haitian Revolution is a very important role in history not only for the former French Colony Saint-Domingue but for the rest of the Western Hemisphere. Though many Americans have heard about the French Revolution the Haitian Revolution ties in deeply with their colonizer and is up for debate whether the French Revolution made the Haitian one possible as well. This insurrection would be a light for the rest of the modern world that the institution of slavery would soon become a thing of the path paving a way for freedom and equality. One of the major players in this war was the Free People of Color who went from being on the side of the white ruling hierarchy to the Slave Rebellions.

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The statements of the universality of equality appear to include the positions of slaves but the American declaration passed the statement on equality by adding that this right could only be claimed members of a people with their own properly organized government. Claudia E. Sutherland at the University of Washington believes that the changes in France, "a number of Haitian-born revolutionary movements emerged simultaneously. They used as their inspiration the French Revolution's 'Declaration of the Rights of

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Leaders such as Toussaint Louvre, a former slave, and Henri Christophe led hundreds of thousands of enslaved and free people of color in revolt. Leaders reminded Haitians of the horrific crimes committed against them, one leader, Zamba Boukman, appealed to enslaved Haitians, “You see all that the white has made us suffer. The white man's god asks him to commit crimes.” (Boukman 1). After years of

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The Haitian Revolution of a period of time where slaves from the island of Saint Domingue revolted against their owners and citizens of the islands for freedom. The Haitian revolution was the world's only successful slave revolt. The legacy of the Haitian revolution and its contribution to the black diaspora was a symbol of slaves of liberation and motivated slaves to revolt more everywhere, and contributed to the black diaspora by influencing politicians into buying more slaves, and forcing harsher measurements on them to prevent rebellion. The legacy of the Haitian revolution was the spread of the message of liberation and revolt for freedom to slaves. After the haitian revolution, slaves in different colonies and in the states began

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Not only were their economic reasons for abolition, but there were fears of slave revolts. After The Haitian revolution, there were many fears of other slave revolts. Abolition changed the world forever by giving people globally hope for a better life out of servitude. In the Haitian Declaration of Independance, the Commander in Chief of the People of Haiti states, “Let us walk down another path; let us imitate those people who, extending their concern into the future, and dreading to leave an example of cowardice for posterity, preferred to be exterminated rather than lose their place as one of the world 's free peoples.” These former slaves are now freed and feel as though as they could have better lives.

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The Haitian revolution fought for years to ensure everyone got the right to liberty, and not just a select few, such as only white males. It took many different leaders to rise and take control of the revolution and ensure that all people have the right to freedom. Many had to die in this bloody conquest for freedom, but in doing so they gave people everywhere the ability to ending slavery and gaining their own liberty.

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In the year 1791, African slaves in the French colony of St. Domingue initiated a rebellion that by the year 1803 succeeded in ending the brutal oppression of slavery in the country. This revolution, currently known as the Haitian Revolution, was the largest and most effective slave insurrection in the Western Hemisphere. The revolution not only ended slavery, but it succeeded in terminating French control over the colony and alleviating the volatile political, social and economic conditions in St. Domingue which led to the outbreak of the Haitian Revolution. Firstly, the political conditions in St. Domingue led to the revolution.

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Slavery is the result of taking away one’s freedom and humanity by exploiting the individual physically and psychologically to be productive on the plantation. The maximization of profit is of essential goal. Viewed as the largest and most successful revolution of its era, Haiti became the first black Republic in the western hemisphere. The once pearl of the Caribbean consisted of large coffee and sugar plantations turned to blood and fire with its ruling class eliminated and economy ruined. Very few revolution could be compared as the slaves of Saint Dominique took charge of their fate by ruling themselves politically and economic.

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