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Toussaint was born a slave at Saint Dominique. And he was born between 1739 and 1743.We do not no exactly when he was born. -
Toussaint thought he was about 50 years old in 1791. His godfather educated him. He learned about philosophy and medicine.
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He was freed in 1776. He started to work on the plantation he was born on. Eventually, he earned enough money to buy his own plantation and own 12 slaves.
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The king was demanded to accept the new constitution which declared all men to be born equal and have freedom.
A few years later France became a republic -
The new French constitution made free black people and slaves from Saint Dominique angry. They questioned if all men were free why did France have slaves. A freed black man did not have the same amount of rights as a white man. -
in 1789 all the laws in France were made by the king. They were in the middle of an economic crisis. The people in the Estates general demanded a new constutution.
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In August 1791 thousands of slaves killed their owners. The slaves burnt plantations and took over cities. By September they have killed 4,000 slave owners and 1,000 plantations.
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Even though Toussaint had Previously owned slaves, he realized he was in the wrong. He demanded to end slavery.
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In 1799 Napoleon seized power. Napoleon supported Toussaint and the abolishment of slavery. Napoleon told Toussaint to not invade Spanish Santo Domingo. But Toussaint invaded Santo Domingo in 1801 and abolished slavery there. Napoleon was angry that he was disobeyed.
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Toussaint was forced to sign of peace treaty in May 1802. He was arrested a few weeks later and taken back to France as a French prisoner. Napoleon locked him in prison. Toussaint Louverture died April 1803 in prison. It was unsure how he had died.