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History of Haiti. Columbus. Arrived in New World—1492 Established base in Hispaniola Discovered gold. Spanish Settlers. Rushed to Hispaniola Forced Indians to mine gold and raise food By 1530 only few hundred Indians survived because of harsh treatment Brought in slaves from Africa.
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Columbus • Arrived in New World—1492 • Established base in Hispaniola • Discovered gold
Spanish Settlers • Rushed to Hispaniola • Forced Indians to mine gold and raise food • By 1530 only few hundred Indians survived because of harsh treatment • Brought in slaves from Africa
Spanish Settlers • Left for more prosperous colonies • By 1606 so few left that Spanish king ordered those remaining to move closer to main city (Santo Domingo) Hispaniola, 1606 (Dutch map)
French, English, & Dutch • Settled N & W areas of island • Many became pirates • Attacked Spanish gold/silver shipments • Spain tried, unsuccessfully, to drive them out • In 1697, Spain recognized French control of W 1/3 of island
Renamed St. Dominique • French colonists brought African slaves • Developed large coffee & spice plantations • By 1788, 8 times more slaves (500,000) than colonists
Toussaint’s Background • Birth ?—1743 to 1746 • Plantation on St. Dominique • Personal servant to humane man • Opportunity to learn
Toussaint’s Family • Eldest of 8 children • Father had been African chief • Parents & grandfather taught him: • History • Languages • Philosophy • Math • Family traditions • Christian faith
Struggle for Haitian Independence 1789-1804
1789 • French Revolution • National Assembly issued Declaration of the Rights of Man • Free people of color in St. Dominique did not get promised citizenship
1790 • March 8 • National Assembly • Voted to allow colonial whites to determine Haiti’s political life • People of color could not vote
1791 • May 15 • National Assembly gave all free men of color (with 2 free parents) full rights • Forced white colonists to consider separation from France
1791 • Aug. 22-23 • Slave revolt due to brutal slave system • Toussaint helped his master’s family escape • St. Dominique whites decided to fight for freedom from France
1791 • Toussaint joined fight • Doctor for St. Dominique army • Eventually a leader (knowledge based on reading works by Caesar & others)
1791 • Sept. 24 • Assembly revoked May 15th decree (rights to free men of color)
1792 • March 28 • Assembly reversed again • All free men of color got full citizen rights
1792 • April 4 • Louis XVI signed May 15th decree
1793 • February 1 • France declared war on Britain • Toussaint supported Spanish • Spanish king would be secure • French republic too insecure
1793 • August • National Convention abolished slavery in St. Dominique • By year’s end, Toussaint had conquered north-central St. Dominique for Spain
1793 • Spain and Britain • Encouraged slaves to get freedom from the French • May have had informal arrangement to divide colony
1794 • February 4 • France abolished slavery in colonies
1794 • May 6 • Toussaint abandoned Spanish • Spanish showed no signs of keeping word on freeing slaves • British had reinstated slavery • If freedom was his goal, he had no choice…support the French
1794 • He joined French on promise of freedom • Helped his family flee beforehand • Became brigadier general • Tide then swung in favor of French
1794 • July 22 • Peace agreement between France and Spain
1795 • Treaty of Basel • Spain ceded holdings to France • Ceased hostilities • Blacks who had remained loyal to Spanish flocked to Toussaint’s army
1796 • March 30 • Toussaint rescued French commander from Mulatto-led effort to depose him • Made lieutenant governor of St. Dominique
1797 • French Convention made Toussaint commander-in-chief • He resolved to establish autonomous black state • Expelled French commissioner • Made agreement with Britain to end hostilities • Sought loyalty of Mulattos
1799 • After defeat of Spanish & British, he moved toward independence from France • Wanted to be on equal footing with France and other major powers
1799 • War of the Castes • French sought Mulatto support to retain dominion over colony • Toussaint’s army fought Mulattos
1799 • Asked US President John Adams for help • Adams wanted the arrangement • US young, insecure nation • The agreement… • Adams sent arms and ships • Toussaint would stop French from using island as base
1799 • French & US Revolutions inspired him • Some officers had fought with French army in US War for Ind. • French governor gave him nickname L’Ouverture (break through enemy lines)
1799 • Jefferson • Referred to Toussaint’s army as cannibals • As President, reversed Adams’ St. Dominique policies
1799 • Nov. 9—Napoleon came to power • Wanted: • Toussaint out • To reestablish slavery
1800 • May • Toussaint became military dictator (efficiency) • Worked on restoring order & productivity
1800 • Needed export-oriented economy • Re-imposed plantation system • Utilized non-slaves • Basically relied on forced labor
1800 • Oct. 1 • Secret treaty of San Ildefonso • Spain ceded Louisiana to France
1801 • Colonial Assembly approved constitution • Toussaint became Governor-General-For-Life • He “liberates” St. Dominique • Never formally severs bond with France
1801 • Constitution gave Napoleon reason for sending French troops • French colony acting as independent state • Worried slave-holding nations (Britain & US)
1801 • Napoleon saw St. Dominique as essential to French exploitation of New World • Napoleon is weakened • Toussaint drained resources of the colony
1802 • January • Napoleon sent troops to re-enslave Blacks of St. Dominique • Aided by Mulattos & Whites • Two of Toussaint’s lieutenants transferred their allegiance to French
1802 • May 5 • Toussaint, recognizing his weak position, surrendered • French assured him that he could retire quietly
1802 • June • Toussaint taken to France • Forbade his soldiers from retaliating against French prisoners
1802 • French commander, Rochambeau, retreated • Mutilated black prisoners and left them to die slowly
1802 • Toussaint’s troops had French prisoners hanged within sight of French army
1802 • US newspapers covered uprisings with Toussaint as black Napoleon • Intensified US slaveholders’ fear of US slave revolt • Inspired British (on verge of abolishing slave trade) to keep it
1802 • Other Blacks who had sided with French now turned against them because of: • Betrayal of Toussaint • Napoleon’s restoration of slavery in Martinique
1803 • April 7 • Died of neglect in a jail in the Alps