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Tainos living on Hispaniola migrated from South America. They lived in large villages governed by cacuques or chiefs. Chiefs could be male or female. Tainos living in present day Cuba, Jamaica, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. They were woodworkers potters, weavers, carvers, and used sophisticated agriculture and fishing techniques. Population was 500,000 to one million people. December 6, 1492 Columbus lands on north coast of Hispaniola. Set up fort La Navidad.
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In only ten years Europeans have killed almost all of the Tainos. They need cheaper labor to work the new plantations.
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The Black Codes state the following laws:
• Slaves are personal property of masters
• Sets strick limits on behavior of slaves no assembly
• Enforced by severe punishments masters could shot on sight
• Dictated minimum amount of food you must give slaves and maximum amount of time to work
• Limits on brutality -
The Treaty of Ryswick ends war of Spain against France. It gives France control over the western third of Hispaniola. They name the new colony Saint Domingue.
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Makandal is a Maroon leader who poison all the whites in the north. After he started this other people continued to poison whites. This causes white people tortured and brutalized slaves. There are 13 years of conflict. Makandal sparked network of resistant of enslaved people. He built confidence that resistance could be successful. Maroons were fugitive slaves who lived in the mountains. The Maroons helped the revolution by attacking whites and organizing different groups to fight together.
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American Revolution makes the slaves of Saint Domingue want their independence also. They have gained military experience fighting in the revolution. American goods are also cheaper and they want to trade with others besides France.
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The French Revolution begins. The Revolution has the following effects on Saint Domingue:
1. poor whites on the island wanted same rights as rich;
2. people on the plantations didn’t like being order by the king;
3. the affranchis wanted equal rights to the whites. The affranchis didn’t want to end slavery because many of them had slaves. They wanted to end racial discrimination among the free people. -
Revolution begins in the north. Louverture helps his master escape and finally after a few weeks joins the Black forces. Louverture starts training his own troops in guerrilla warfare. There are 500,000 slaves and only 32,000 white people living in Saint Domingue. Louverture was important to the revolution because:
● He was really smart and a good businessman.
● He was also a plantation owner himself.
● He had education in African and European culture.
● He wrote a settlement offer. -
Haitian civil war. Louverture (controlled Northern Haiti) and his people were all black and the affranchis wanted equal rights to the whites. They didn’t want to end slavery because many of them had slaves. They wanted to end racial discrimination among the free people.
Rigaud (controlled Southern Haiti) and his people were mulattos and held slaves. The black people didn’t believe Rigaud and the affranchis would end slavery and promote equality. -
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War between Rigaud and Louverture. Louverture wins giving him control of north and south. America is involved in civil war because 10-15% of American exports went to Saint Domingue. They wanted Louverture to declare independence and weaken France. 1799 Napoleon takes over and says New Constitution does not include Saint Domingue. They are worried they will bring back slavery.
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It abolished slavery, gave all citizens equal rights; outlawed Vodou religion; Louverture was made governor general for life; and made all people in Saint Domingue French. 1802- France reestablished slavery in the colonies and Napoleon invades Haiti because the prospect of Black Republic was too threatening and having free slaves was dangerous to America and Europe. He considered the constitution as a hostile move. They wanted to reinstate slavery.
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Jean Jacques Dessalines declares independence of Haiti.
Dessalines orders the slaughter of the remaining French people in Haiti. Dessalines (Emperor Jaque the 1st) is crowned Emperor of Haiti and declared all people of Haiti black. Permanent abolition of slavery and made all Haitians free, equal and able to own land, but whites were not able to own land. -
Countries try to isolate Haiti following its independence because they thought it was a threat to the plantation systems and slavery. Other countries shunned Haiti and made them have bad trade agreements that hurt them economically France force Haiti to pay for "damages" France suffered during the Haitian Revolution. They refused to recognize their independence or allow them to trade with the rest of the world. They made them pay almost 22 billion dollars in US money today
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The Haitian Revolution was one of the most profound revolutions initiated by human beings because it was the first time the slaves created a revolution and a declaration was written for them.
