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Toussaint L Ouverture: The Haitian Revolution

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The Haitian Revolution which occurred in 1791 came about due to the unrest among the people in the country including the poor whites and mulattoes. It started in one part of the country and spread throughout. One important factor of this revolution was Toussaint L’Ouverture. Different sources credit many reasons for the revolution but one consistent factor is the treatment of the enslaved and them wanting their freedom.
Even before the revolution Haiti was considered as the French colony of St. Domingue which was the most productive colonial economy in the world. It consisted of agricultural plantations which was mainly used to supply sugar and coffee to the world market and had a slave population of almost 90 percent. The society consisted …show more content…

The destruction of slavery was a major goal of the Haitian Revolution, but it was not firmly established until mid 1793. It was the two years of anarchy and turmoil during 1789-91, rather than any single reason for rebellion, which allowed slaves of various persuasions to revolt simultaneously. According to Ott many factors resulted in the revolution occurring. For example, the French Revolution had a major part to play in the Haitian Revolution as they were weaken as they had to lend a hand and was otherwise preoccupied. There economic stature also brought about the revolution. They expanded their resources and land to be able to produce more products which in return led them to bringing in more slaves and becoming over thrown by the slaves because they were …show more content…

The French along with the American Revolution set examples for overthrowing an old rule. It was said that the French revolution had an important effect in the setting foundation of the Haitian society. One aspect that was changed by the ideas of the French Revolution was the role of gens de couleur libres. The National Constituent Assembly declared that the gens had the right to vote which did not apply to slaves. The whites however resisted the enforcement of the new law which was cited by the insurgents as one of the causes of the 1791 slave revolt that eventually became the Haitian

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