The Haitian Revolution

Essay # 46325

Ethnic Studies > South American
History > Latin America
History > U.S. Before 1865
History > U.S. Birth of the Nation 1750-1800

Discusses the Haitian Revolution and its effect on the institution of slavery.

1,095 words () | 6 sources | MLA | 2003 United States

Paper Summary:

This paper outlines the history of the Haitian Revolution against the French, focusing on the fear it sent across the world as the first crushing victory against slavery.

From the Paper:

"In 1791, 100,000 slaves rose to revolt in the French colony of St. Domingue, burning and attacking what they could. It would become one of very few successful slave revolts in history. Under the leadership of General Toussaint L'Ouverture, the soon to be citizens of the country of Haiti would fight fiercely until finally securing independence in 1804. Like the United States, Toussaint and his men had fought for their freedom against their mother country and succeeded in doing so. Despite these similarities many people, such as Thomas Jefferson, still felt no sympathy for this colony of freed slaves. In fact, slaveholders and other embracers of what was becoming an old way of life were fearful of the country of Haiti. This fear was rooted in the suspicion that the freed men of Haiti were planting the seed for the end of slavery, the backbone of the southern economy and a great source of wealth for the imperialist nations."