AfTershocks
The Haitian Revolution
As the revolution spread across France, another rebellion was beginning on an island in the Caribbean. Part of the island, known as Saint-Domingue, was under French rule. In 1791, thousands of enslaved people, joined by free people of color, revolted. For the next 12 years, the people of Saint-Domingue would fight for equality.
Today, this event is known as...
The HaITIan RevoluTIon
Who LIved In SaInT-DomIngue?
In the 1600s, the French took over part of the island and called its colony Saint-Domingue. France created plantations, or huge farms, to grow coffee and sugar. Thousands of Africans were sent to the island to work on these plantations. Most of these Africans were enslaved and suffered under harsh working conditions.
As the idea of liberty spread across North America and France, the people of Saint-Domingue began to consider their own lives.
Tired of cruel treatment and inequality, the enslaved people wanted change. In 1791, two separate revolts broke out. On the north side of the island, enslaved workers attacked the plantation owners and set fire to the buildings. At the same time, free people of color began revolting on the west side of the island.
The revolution had begun.
In 1791, over 400,000 people lived on the island. Enslaved Africans made up about 90 percent of the population while the remaining 10 percent were Europeans and affranchis. Affranchis were free people of color with mixed European and African ancestry.
The Leaders of The GreaT FIghT
De facto, which means “in reality,” is a term for an unofficial ruler who takes on the role of a leader.
Even though France still ruled the colony, Louverture controlled the military and governed the island’s day-to-day affairs. In 1801, Louverture drafted a constitution that named him governor for life.
The Haitian Revolution had many other key players. Georges Biassou was a rebel leader who fought alongside Louverture. Marie-Jeanne Lamartinière was a courageous woman who fought as a soldier, and François Capois was famous for charging into battle while under fire.
Under Louverture’s leadership, this army, made up of men and women, used their knowledge of the land to stage surprise attacks. They were fighting to build a more equal society.
BaTTle for Independence
By 1801, Louverture had taken control over the island. Slavery had already been abolished, but the road to freedom was a long one. One year later, France tried to reclaim the island of Saint-Domingue and restore slavery.
The island faced the skilled army of Napoleon Bonaparte. And yet, Saint-Domingue did not surrender. The French offered to discuss a truce, which Louverture hesitantly agreed to. Shortly after accepting, Louverture was arrested and imprisoned in France until his death in 1803.
Jean-Jacques Dessalines, once a top general under Louverture, assumed the role of the new leader of Saint-Domingue. A fierce warrior, Dessalines refused to let Napoleon’s forces bring slavery back to the island. He quickly regained power over the land, leading Haitian soldiers to victory in 1803 following the Battle of Vertières. This was one of the final battles of the revolution.
During these years, thousands of French soldiers in Haiti died of yellow fever. As the Haitian army grew in number and strength, the French began to give up on the idea of retaking the island.
On January 1, 1804, the people of Saint-Domingue declared independence from France, ending the Haitian Revolution. Dessalines became the first leader of the newly independent nation. Following this triumphant victory, Saint-Domingue was renamed “Haiti.” This name comes from the island’s Indigenous Taíno heritage.
In the Taíno language, “Haiti” means “land of high mountains.” Today, the Haitian Revolution stands as a powerful moment in the fight for human rights.