Haitian Revolution

The Haitian Révolution constitutes the first revolt of slaves succeeded of the modern world. It was supported by the French revolution. The historians traditionally locate his departure at the time of the Cérémonie of Wood-Caiman, a ceremony Vaudou E in August 1791. It establishes in 1804 Haiti as a free first République black of the world, succeeding the French colony of Saint-Domingue . The France had lost its most prosperous colony thus. This event is almost absent from programs of the French State education.

Origins

The day before the French revolution, the colony of Saint-Domingue is of a prosperity without equal. It is the first world producer of Sucre - with more half of the production - as of Café. Its foreign trade represents more than a third of that of the Metropolitan France. A French on eight lives some directly or indirectly. This opulence is built on a criticized economic system and an inhuman social organization.

The system mercantilist of “Exclusive colonial”, invented by Jean-Baptiste Colbert, aims at enriching the metropolis. It rests on the commercial Monopole and the prohibition of local industry. The Métropole fixes the prices. The colonists, very critical, use of smuggling and foment even disorders.

The company of the colonists is very uneven: the rich person growers, or large white resulting from the Nobility or middle-class from the great trade, answers the crowd of the small civils servant, employees and workmen, called small white .

Especially, the Esclavage is particularly cruel. The Black Code of 1685, however enacted “to humanize it”, thus punishes death the slave who would have struck his Master (Article 33), even would have made a flight (Article 35). The slave had the legal status of a personal property (Article 44). Still, this code it is not respected. The obligation of evangelization is neglected; obligatory rest of Sunday, often deferred. To the capital punishment envisaged, the legal decisions often adds Supplice S for their exemplary character. The cruelty of the colonists is such as the average hope of life of a slave hardly exceeded ten years.

Lastly, whereas the Code knows only two categories of individuals - the free ones and slaves - the free Coloured persons (the freed free Mulâtre S and negros) are gradually seen refusing the equality with the white: They cannot inherit titles of nobility, certain employment are prohibited to them, they owe respect with white etc

However, the demographic evolution is unfavourable with the white, and more particularly to the large growers. The opulence of the colony at the 18th century attracts a growing number of modest French, coming to seek fortune. The majority remain in misery. The number of free of color increases even more quickly: Of a handle at the beginning of the century, their number borders that of the white in 1788, that is to say approximately 30.000. As for the slaves, as many as the white at the 17th century, they are more than 500.000 the day before the Révolution, so much the Traite blacks develops. At the end of the XVIIIe century, more than 30.000 Africans unload each year in the ports of the Cape-French or Port-au-Prince.

If one adds to this table the regional competitions between the Northern , most opulent, the Southern, and the Western separated by mountainous chains, the opposition between the civils servant and the white creole S (i.e. on the spot born) like between the growers and the tradesmen, the destabilizer role of the Spain, having the part Is island, or England, one includes/understands the complexity of the course of the revolution of Saint-Domingue.

On their side, the French revolutionists are quartered between the principle of equality and economic realism.

Claims of the white and the mulattos

The colonists of Saint-Domingue regarded the convocation with the General states of 1789 as an opportunity to demolish system of the Exclusive one. In spite of the preliminary refusal of the king Louis XVI, they succeed in making accept six deputies with the constituent Assembly. On the spot, they push, by threatening it, the Intendant Barbé of Marbois to regain the metropolis. Then, fine 1789, they elect Municipalités.

But, the Déclaration of the Human rights of the 26 August 1789 appears dangerous to them. The more so as the Société of the friends of the Blacks, founded in Paris on February 19th 1789 (which counts inter alia members Brissot, Mirabeau, Condorcet, Fayette and the Abbé Gregoire) proposes the progressive abolition of slavery and the immediate equality of free of color.

As of the August 20th 1789 is created in Paris the Club of the Massiac hotel, consisted mainly of growers of Saint-Domingue. Their best lawyer is the deputy Barnave. The March 28th 1790, this one succeeds in making vote a decree which draws aside the colonies of the metropolitan right and creates colonial assemblies open to the owners. Without expressing it, the Constituent one confirms slavery thus. Condorcet has this comment: “Let us add a word to the article first of the Declaration of the rights: All' the white' men'' are born free and equal in rights! ”

But, the white of Saint-Domingue go even further: They elect, without free color, an assembly which declares itself higher than the General governor, intends to replace the royal regiments by a local National guard and votes even the May 28th 1790 a Constitution. In July, she issues the freedom of the trade. In front of this sedition, the authorities react by being combined the free ones. The assembly of growers is quickly reversed. The revenge of the white is bloody: a few months later, colonel de Mauduit, who dispersed the assembly, is lynched by crowd.

The free ones then start to claim the equality with vehemence. Several are massacred by the white population. In particular, the mulatto Vincent Ogé, however notable easy, is condemned to the torture of the wheel in February 1791 to have expressed while having taken the weapons with three hundred partisans.

The Parliament of Paris remains undecided as for the statute of free of color. After having confirmed slavery by giving him constitutional statute the May 13rd 1791, it grants the May 15th the equality to free of color born of father and mother free, is less than 5% of the interested parties.

The white of Saint-Domingue refuse to apply this decree. The free ones are raised then in several places of the West and the South and gain victories as of the summer. Directed by Jacques Beauvais and Andre Rigaud, the mulattos take even the capital Port-au-Prince, which is mainly set fire to, in November 1791.

The revolt of the blacks and the abolition of slavery

The Marronnage supported by the mountainous relief of Santo Domingo which offers refuge of the slaves in escape, is established at the beginning of the Draft. The Negros succeed in living in groups in the forests. They develop a syncretic religion of the African beliefs to with it, the Vaudou. The phenomenon perdure in spite of the tracking and wild repression. These chestnuts worry the white which they poison sometimes and of which they burn the fields.

The August 14th 1791, with Wood-Caiman, in the plain of North, of many slaves decide the revolt, under the authority of Boukman, assisted Jean-François and Biassou. This first act of the revolution of the slaves takes the form of a ceremony vaudoue. In a few days, all the Plantation S of North are in flames and a thousand of white, massacred. In spite of the repression where Boukman is killed, of the bands of armed slaves persist in the campaigns and the mountains. In other parts of the country, more spontaneous revolts follow.

The rising of the slaves involves sharp debates with the news legislative Assemblée of Paris. This one initially sensitive to the arguments of the colonists, sends civil police chiefs to bring back to the order the free ones and the slaves. Whereas the latter are petitioning of a honourable peace, the stiffness of the colonists revives the revolts. The Legislative one ends up concurring in the arguments of the Girondins like Brissot, Elie Guadet and Armand Gensonné. April 4th 1792, is promulgated in enthusiasm the white and equal rights of free. To make it apply, of new civil police chiefs, whose Leger-Happiness Sonthonax and Etienne Polverel, is sent to Saint-Domingue, is supported of four thousand volunteers of the national guard.

Those unloaded with the Cape the September 18th 1792, the day before the proclamation of the French Republic. Sonthonax announces on its arrival that he intends to preserve slavery. But it is him which wrote one year earlier: “The grounds of Saint-Domingue must belong to the blacks. They acquired them with the sweat of their face” and receives only distrust on behalf of the colonists. The police chiefs are combined to the mulattos initially to impose itself. They have success, in particular with Port-au-Prince.

But the execution of the king, the January 21st 1793, started a new cleavage. The June 21st 1793 with the Cape-French, the new Galbaud governor, royalist, is combined to the colonists for reverse the police chiefs. Driven back, those promise freedom with any slave who would fight for the Republic. Hordes invade the city, plunder it and set fire to it. Ten thousand colonists expatrient themselves.

On their side, England and Spain, which declared the war in France, attack Cape-French, which by the sea, which by the grounds since the oriental party of the island, Spanish possession. Spanish has with them royalist colonists as well as bands of revolted slaves, like that of Jean-François and Biassou, with whom they promised freedom. At the summer, many ports and most of the country are occupied.

In the search of allies, Sonthonax proclaims the Abolition of slavery in north the August 29th 1793. One month later, Polvérel makes in the same way in the remainder of the country. Learning this decision, the Convention vote, in enthusiasm, the February 4th 1794, abolition in all the colonies.

All Saints' day Louverture and the black revolution

Freed the All Saints' day Bréda (of the name of the plantation to the High-of-Cape where it was born in 1743) exerts, in spite of its ugliness and its small size, ascending as well by its African origins as one known as royal Arada as by its qualities of well-read man, rider and doctor by the plants.

It becomes assistance-of-camp of Georges Biassou, one of the successors of Boukman, which adopts the Spanish Is island in 1793 in order to fight the colonists. Initiated with the art of the war, it gains several daring victories which are worth the nickname of to him the Opening .

The Abolition of slavery by the civil police chiefs the fact of reflecting. After an exchange of mails with the republican general Etienne Lavaux, it brutally changes camp into May 1794. In a few months, it drives back the Spaniards at the Eastern border of the island and beats the troops of its former chiefs who remained to them faithful. In 1795, it releases the interior of the grounds. The Convention the pupil with the rank of general in July. In March 1796, the Laveaux governor, whom it delivered of a revolt in the Cape, names it Lieutenant-general Saint-Domingue.

With measurement of its victories, All Saints' day confirms the emancipation of the slaves. Thanks to the arrived reinforcements of metropolis in May 1796, it takes again the fight against English who holds of many ports. Wearied of a combat without hope, those end up negotiating directly with him and give up Saint-Domingue the August 31st 1798.

All Saints' day, indeed, moved away the metropolitan representatives of authority, including Lavaux in October 1796, and Sonthonax in August 1797, however returned as civil police chief. It skilfully made elect these last deputies of Saint-Domingue in Paris. The last police chief sent by the Directory, the general Hédouville, embarks in October 1798, after having noted that the army obeys only All Saints' day.

The mulattos, carried out by the general André Rigaud are the last to discuss its authority. They hold the south of the country. With the assistance of its lieutenants Christophe and Dessalines, All Saints' day beats them in August 1800 after one year a bloody civil war. Stone embarks for France.

Lastly, after having invaded in one month the Spanish part of Santo Domingo (January 1801), it establishes its authority on all the island.

All Saints' day organizes the restarting of the economy by inviting the colonists to return, including those which chose the party counter-revolutionary. It publishes the October 12th 1800 a payment of culture obliging the blacks to resume work on the plantations. This forced labor is badly perceived by the population. In November 1801, a revolt bursts in the workshops of North. He subdues it and makes shoot thirteen leaders, of which its adoptive nephew, the Moyse general.

The July 8th 1801, it promulgates a constitution separatist which gives him the full powerss with life.

The French reconquest and the war of independence

Conclusion

The assessment of the Expédition of Santo Domingo is particularly heavy in human lives. The day before the revolution, the population of the island counted approximately 550.000 hearts. In 1804, it is reduced to 300.000.

It will be necessary, to frankly await 1825 so that the France of Charles X “concedes” independence with Haiti, with the help of the payment of an allowance of 150 million S Or “to compensate the former colonists”. Renegotiated in 1838 to 90 million, this debt of independence was entirely honoured by successive payments until in 1883. Certain identity historians caribéens affirm that this debt returned Haiti the most underdeveloped nation America.

The independence of Haiti marked the end of colonialism, but installed with the capacity the elite of the Haitian army, especially consisted of old freed. This elite will be divided soon into two factions: defenders of Alexandre Pétion, mainly Mulatto S, and those of Henri Christophe, largely blacks. These two factions, constituting an occidentalized town class, will dispute the capacity throughout the century, without leaving true place with the descendants of the slaves with rural culture and vaudoue, relegated in what the sociologist Gerard Barthélemy calls the country outwards .

Sources

J.C. Dorsainvil: Manual of History of Haiti , Port-au-Prince, 1929
L. Abenon, J. of Cauna, L. Chauleau: the Antilles 1789 - the Revolution at the Caribbean , Paris, Nathan, 1989
G. Barthelemy: Haitian rural Universe - country outwards , Paris, Harmattan, 1991
F. Blancpain: the French colony of Santo Domingo , Paris, Karthala, 2004
L. Dubois: Avengers of the New World. History of the Haitian Revolution , Perseids, 2005.

See too

External bonds

The Louverture Project - History of Haitian Revolution (Wiki)

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