Colonial Period

1492: Columbus claims Hispaniola Pirates 1697: Spanish officially ceded Haiti to French

Saint Domingue: “pearl of the Antilles” Sugar, indigo, coffee plantations –Importation of African slaves Class strata  White slave owners, blancs  Mulattos: businessmen, freed slaves, gens de couleur  Slaves

Haitian Revolution ( ) 1789: French Revolution –Status of mulattos/slaves? Boukman, Toussaint L’Ouverture, Jean Jacques Dessalines, Henri Christophe Many slaves had been in the expeditionary force during American Revolution 1804: Established independence by defeating Napoleon [Dessalines] –Inspired abolitionists in the U.S. –Southern planter animosity –1862: official recognition

“Brothers and Friends, I am Toussaint L’Ouverture, my name has perhaps become known to you. I have undertaken vengeance. I wish Liberty and Equality to reign over Saint Dominigue. I strive to make them happen. Join with us, brothers and fight with us in the common cause.”

Aftermath Plantations ruined Population declined from years of warfare Tension between mulattos and ex-slaves Agricultural land ownership becomes a huge issue Bought independence from French: massive indemnity

U.S. Occupation Independence-1915: regime changes 1914: Opening of Panama Canal 1914: Wilson takes over Haitian National Bank using marines 1915: occupied Haiti –Protect US assets –German influence [WWI] 1934: “Good Neighbor Policy” [FDR] Result: reorganization of Haitian military

Duvalier Period Brutal dictatorship Haitian Diaspora to the US Polarization of society: elites/poor Concentration of wealth and land Neo-liberal policies introduced –“American Plan” Reduced import tariffs Reduced state protection for agriculture Movement to low wage goods and food export –Increased food aid Rural migration to the cities

Country doctor 1956: Elected president Purged the army and created his own militia: Tontons Macoutes 1964: Declared self “president for life” 1969: Exiled the archbishop “Fight communism”: Tolerated by US Survived six assassination attempts Francois “Papa Doc” Duvalier

Transition actively supported by the US Expansion of manufacturing for exports: low wage, un-unionized Siphon state revenues Reagan: US aid IMF, World Bank, US AID began planning the economy: deterioration of peasant agricultural economy Under regime, Haiti became poorest countries in world Exiled in military juntas for four years Jean-Claude “Baby Doc” Duvalier

Jean-Bertrand Aristide 1990: Internationally monitored election Economic agenda: agrarian reform, repopulation of pigs, tax reform, minimum wage Ousted in 1991 by army and economic elite US “Embargo” 3 year exile in US 2nd wave of Haitian refugees US led intervention in 1994: structural adjustment watch?v=Uwsd51wfZbk

Structural Adjustment Plan Haiti into the world market –Export of crops and goods prepared in assembly plants Resumption of payment of foreign debt Eliminate civil servant jobs Slash tariffs Open foreign investment policy Rewrite corporate laws to reduce regulation Receive $770 mill in financing and to repay debt

Aristide’s Second Term Disputed elections First time that a full-term president transferred power to incoming president Accusation of corruption/drug trafficking Ousted in 2004 by military [video]