French and Haitian Revolutions 1450 - 1750

Impetus for French Revolution French soldiers returned after Amer Rev full of republicanism French government almost bankrupt from wars and aid to America, need higher taxes King Louis XVI calls Estates General meeting = clergy + nobility (2%) and “third estate” (everybody else)

Class Dissension Privileged, prestigious, wealthy = resist new taxes New middle class professionals = offended by remaining power of privileged Commoners = rising price of bread, income declines, increased unemployment Peasants = hate dues paid to landlord , taxes to state, tithe to church, & required work on public roads (w/no $)

Revolution takes hold 3rd estate organizes National Assembly, claiming sole authority, draws up Dec of Rts of Man Different: Amer rev = colonial relationship had tensions; French rev = conflicts within society Amer sought to restore or build on earlier freedoms, French see themselves starting from scratch = new order

So then what happened?... Much more violent = gets out of control Peasants attack castles of lords Executed King and Queen = shocking all of Europe

Assembly experiments/changes Abolishing slavery (doesn’t last) Universal male suffrage (also temporary) End privileges of aristocrats and feudalism Sell church lands for revenue Put priests under government authority

Reign of Terror Maximilien Robespierre “Committee of Public Safety” Turns into “Reign of Terror” 10’s of 1,000’s die in guillotine = enemies of Revolution Robespierre himself actually arrested and guillotined = accused of tyranny and dictatorship

French Republic 83 new departments with new names World’s largest army = 800k Army led by middle/lower classes = representing nation Titles vanish Men join political clubs, serve on local committees State replaced Catholic Church Notre Dame becomes (temporarily) “Temple of Reason”

French Women French women active during revolution Stormed the Bastille (armory) 7k women march on Versailles, storm the royal apartments, kidnap queen, force back to Paris Petitioned their complaints = lack of educ, male competition for female jobs, prostitution = form 60 women’s clubs – claim to be 3rd estate of the 3rd estate

Women put in their place Women gaining power in France threatens men Ban all women’s clubs Woman who domineers is NOT a woman No political rights for women

That escalated quickly… French influence spreads through conquest under Napolean Bonaparte = great general, seizes power Kept social equality, but got rid of liberty = dictatorship Europe under his control, largest empire since Rome Religious tolerance, codifies laws French domination resisted by others = national ideas surface in Russia and Britain who bring down Napolean

What about France’s colonies? French Caribbean colony of Saint Domingue = Haiti Richest colony in world! = produces 40% of world’s sugar and 50% of world’s coffee on 8k plantations

Haitian demographics Petits blancs = poor whites (blancs 40k total) Grands blancs = rich white landowners Free people of color = 30k Slave labor force = 500k (almost 2/3 French army!)

Demographic positions Grands blancs wanted greater autonomy for colony Petits blancs wanted equality of citizenship Blancs oppose equal treatment of free people of color To slaves, all these personal freedom discussions challenged the entire slave labor system!

Revolt!! Revolt begins when rumors start regarding the French king declaring an end to slavery Slaves burned 1k plantations, killed hundreds of whites Brutality, massacres, etc. = power shifted to slaves

The Result… Toussaint Louverture = former slave overcame resistance, outmaneuvered foreign powers, defeated Napolean! Only successful slave revolt in all of World History! Became equal, free, independent citizens = 2nd independent republic in the Americas

So now what?... Define Haitian citizens as “black” and legally equal regardless of class, refuted preference for lighter skin Whites NOT allowed citizenship Plantation system destroyed, private lands redistributed Farmers went back to producing for their own needs.

In the long run… France charges Haiti an “independence debt” Burden lasts over a century; hurts economy even today Inspired disobedience among slaves elsewhere Energized abolitionist movement; yet at same time made elites buckle down even more on slave behavior Slavery expands elsewhere to take up slack for economy US split into N vs. S over issue