History of Haiti

Columbus l Arrived in New World—1492 l Established base in Hispaniola l Discovered gold

Spanish Settlers l Rushed to Hispaniola l Forced Indians to mine gold and raise food l By 1530 only few hundred Indians survived because of harsh treatment l Brought in slaves from Africa

Spanish Settlers l Left for more prosperous colonies l 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 l Settled N & W areas of island l Many became pirates –Attacked Spanish gold/silver shipments l Spain tried, unsuccessfully, to drive them out –In 1697, Spain recognized French control of W 1/3 of island

Renamed St. Dominique l French colonists brought African slaves l Developed large coffee & spice plantations l By 1788, 8 times more slaves (500,000) than colonists

Toussaint’s Background l Birth ?—1743 to 1746 l Plantation on St. Dominique l Personal servant to humane man –Opportunity to learn

Toussaint’s Family l Eldest of 8 children l Father had been African chief l Parents & grandfather taught him: –History –Languages –Philosophy –Math –Family traditions –Christian faith

Struggle for Haitian Independence

1789 l French Revolution l National Assembly issued Declaration of the Rights of Man –Free people of color in St. Dominique did not get promised citizenship

1790 l March 8 l National Assembly –Voted to allow colonial whites to determine Haiti’s political life –People of color could not vote

1791 l May 15 l National Assembly gave all free men of color (with 2 free parents) full rights l Forced white colonists to consider separation from France

1791 l Aug l Slave revolt due to brutal slave system –Toussaint helped his master’s family escape l St. Dominique whites decided to fight for freedom from France

1791 l Toussaint joined fight –Doctor for St. Dominique army –Eventually a leader (knowledge based on reading works by Caesar & others)

1791 l Sept. 24 l Assembly revoked May 15 th decree (rights to free men of color)

1792 l March 28 l Assembly reversed again –All free men of color got full citizen rights

1792 l April 4 l Louis XVI signed May 15 th decree

1793 l February 1 l France declared war on Britain l Toussaint supported Spanish –Spanish king would be secure –French republic too insecure

1793 l August l National Convention abolished slavery in St. Dominique l By year’s end, Toussaint had conquered north-central St. Dominique for Spain

1793 l Spain and Britain –Encouraged slaves to get freedom from the French –May have had informal arrangement to divide colony

1794 l February 4 l France abolished slavery in colonies

1794 l May 6 l 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 l He joined French on promise of freedom –Helped his family flee beforehand –Became brigadier general l Tide then swung in favor of French

1794 l July 22 l Peace agreement between France and Spain

1795 l Treaty of Basel –Spain ceded holdings to France –Ceased hostilities l Blacks who had remained loyal to Spanish flocked to Toussaint’s army

1796 l March 30 l Toussaint rescued French commander from Mulatto-led effort to depose him –Made lieutenant governor of St. Dominique

1797 l French Convention made Toussaint commander-in-chief l He resolved to establish autonomous black state –Expelled French commissioner –Made agreement with Britain to end hostilities –Sought loyalty of Mulattos

1799 l After defeat of Spanish & British, he moved toward independence from France l Wanted to be on equal footing with France and other major powers

1799 l War of the Castes l French sought Mulatto support to retain dominion over colony l Toussaint’s army fought Mulattos

1799 l Asked US President John Adams for help –Adams wanted the arrangement –US young, insecure nation l The agreement… –Adams sent arms and ships –Toussaint would stop French from using island as base

1799 l French & US Revolutions inspired him –Some officers had fought with French army in US War for Ind. l French governor gave him nickname L’Ouverture (break through enemy lines)

1799 l Jefferson –Referred to Toussaint’s army as cannibals –As President, reversed Adams’ St. Dominique policies

1799 l Nov. 9—Napoleon came to power l Wanted: –Toussaint out –To reestablish slavery

1800 l May l Toussaint became military dictator (efficiency) l Worked on restoring order & productivity

1800 l Needed export-oriented economy l Re-imposed plantation system –Utilized non-slaves –Basically relied on forced labor

1800 l Oct. 1 l Secret treaty of San Ildefonso l Spain ceded Louisiana to France

1801 l Colonial Assembly approved constitution –Toussaint became Governor- General-For-Life l He “liberates” St. Dominique –Never formally severs bond with France

1801 l Constitution gave Napoleon reason for sending French troops –French colony acting as independent state l Worried slave-holding nations (Britain & US)

1801 l Napoleon saw St. Dominique as essential to French exploitation of New World l Napoleon is weakened –Toussaint drained resources of the colony

1802 l January l Napoleon sent troops to re- enslave Blacks of St. Dominique –Aided by Mulattos & Whites l Two of Toussaint’s lieutenants transferred their allegiance to French

1802 l May 5 l Toussaint, recognizing his weak position, surrendered l French assured him that he could retire quietly

1802 l June l Toussaint taken to France l Forbade his soldiers from retaliating against French prisoners

1802 l French commander, Rochambeau, retreated –Mutilated black prisoners and left them to die slowly

1802 l Toussaint’s troops had French prisoners hanged within sight of French army

1802 l US newspapers covered uprisings with Toussaint as black Napoleon –Intensified US slaveholders’ fear of US slave revolt l Inspired British (on verge of abolishing slave trade) to keep it

1802 l Other Blacks who had sided with French now turned against them because of: –Betrayal of Toussaint –Napoleon’s restoration of slavery in Martinique

1803 l April 7 l Died of neglect in a jail in the Alps

1803 l April 30 l Louisiana Purchase –Napoleon needed money to fight British (began to consider sale on April 10) –Revolution in St. Dominique crushed hope of American empire

1803 l May 12 l Britain declared war on France –Aided Haitian rebels –Gave French someone to surrender to other than Blacks

1803 l November l French commander in St. Dominique surrendered to British –Never had gotten enough reinforcements and supplies

1804 l January 1 l Toussaint’s successor (one of his lieutenants) declared St. Dominique the independent country of Haiti l Jean Jacques Dessalines became Haiti's first emperor in 1804 –Gave it Arawak name Haiti –World's first independent black republic

1822—After Dominican Republic gains independence from Haiti