Throughout the late 18th and early 19th century, both France and Saint-Domingue experienced violent outbursts, which led to a revolution against their government. The French revolution officially started on July 14, 1789, when more than 800 Parisians stormed the Bastille demanding weapons and gunpowder believed to be stored there. The Bastille symbolized the voice of the people representing years of abuse by the monarchy. Liberal ideas of European revolutions inspired Latin America to take action. The natives were discontent in the social, racial, and political system in Saint-Domingue. This led to a revolt in 1791, marking the start of the Haitian Revolution. After the French surrendered, in January 1804, the island declared itself as an independent …show more content…
nation, renaming themselves as Haiti. Whereas the French and Haitian revolution is different economically, they are also similar as they both have an unfair class structure and were inspired by enlightenment ideas in starting both revolutions. France and Saint-Domingue differed economically. In the 18th century of Louis XVI rule, he had left France in enormous debt. King Louis XVI was funding the Seven Year’s war and the American revolution. In order to bridge the gap between income and expenses, the government kept borrowing money. By 1789, most of the government's income went into paying this debt. As a result, common food prices were soaring which brought hunger among the Third Estate. Therefore France was economically unstable. While in Saint-Dominique, the economy grew by the 18th century. The French named their new colony Saint-Domingue; they controlled one-third of the island. The French brought enslaved Africans to develop large sugar and coffee plantations. This caused the demographics of Saint-Domingue to change from the importation of Africans. By the 18th century, sugar and coffee made France wealthy. Therefore, prior to the revolution, Saint Domingue was economically stable. France and Saint-Domingue both had an unfair social class.
In the 18th century, most of the countries in Europe were some sort of monarchy, and France happened to be an absolute monarchy. France was under the ancien regime that had emerged in the middle ages. The First Estate consisted of the clergy, the Second Estate consisted of the nobility, and the Third Estate included the remainder of the population. In both the First and Second Estate they did not have to pay taxes and were entitled to privileges. The Third Estate, on the other hand, had no privileges and was burdened of taxation. The majority of the people were tired of how the king lived in luxury while poverty was increasing in the third estate. Taxes were piled onto them due to the seven-year war. This led the majority of the people of France to revolt, due to an unfair class structure. During the 18th century in Saint-Domingue, enslaved Africans were working on plantations forced upon by the French to help with their financial debt. At that time, in Saint-Domingue there consisted of a social class: French whites , Gens de Couleur, and African slaves. The Gens de Couleur were upset because they were denied the same rights as whites and could be legally discriminated. The slaves were unhappy due to poor and unfair treatments on the plantations. This led to a slave revolt, due to an unfair social/ethnic …show more content…
class. The Third Estate and the slaves of Saint Domingue were both inspired by Enlightenment ideas in starting their revolutions. In the 18th century, both the First and Second Estate did not have to pay taxes and were entitled to privileges. This caused the Third Estate to question the inequalities of the old regime. Ideas from enlightenment philosophers, resulted in their call for the privileged classes to pay their share. John Locke, an enlightenment philosopher, asserted that the people possess natural rights of life, liberty, and property. He proposed that the government is created to protect the rights of the people and if it fails to do so, the people are to replace it with an another one if necessary. With this in mind, people sought these natural rights, which expressed new ideas about the government. They saw how unjust the government was which led them to revolt against the government.While in Saint-Domingue, the French planters owned profitable sugar plantations which were labor intensive. The slaves were overworked and underfed. The enslaved Africans longed for freedom. In 1791, when led by Toussaint L’Ouverture who was embedded with enlightenment ideas inspired the slaves by the talk of liberty and equality, this led the slaves to revolt, which ignited the Haitian Revolution. In France and Saint-Domingue, the people’s will for equality led to a revolution.
Economically different, France was going bankrupt by deficit spending while Saint Dominique was financially stable by the plantations. In similar events, both shared a social cause, which was the unfair social structure. Influenced similarly by enlightenment ideas, both revolutions resulted in a revolt against their own society. Politically, In France King Louis XVI lived in luxury and enjoyed unlimited power, while the Third Estate was denied rights. For Saint-Domingue the French colonist was in power, Gens de couleur were denied rights and the Enslaved Africans did harsh labor. As a result, the Third Estate and slaves both sought for equality and liberty and it was represented through the revolutions. These revolutions like the American revolution, which took place in the Thirteen American Colonies. The American revolution's success was the inspiration of the Enlightenment ideas. Just like with the French and Haitian revolution, the Enlightenment ideas questioned their current state, which led them to revolt against their government. This resulted in France abolishing the monarchy, by doing so they were able to get back their natural rights. For Saint-Domingue, they abolished slavery and broke free of France’s control. In the colonies, they were free of Great Britain's rule; they are now an independent nation. All three of these revolutions were inspired by the enlightenment ideas, which
resulted in successful victories against their government.
The Haitian Revolution was time of hectic blood shed war. Toussaint Louverture was the leader of the Haitians out of slavery and free from the Spanish. The colony of St. Domingue was a slave island, where slaves would work to make goods to be sent to Spain in return for nothing. The people were treated harsh and done wrong but by the efforts of Louverture they will become free. Louverture was the leader of the revolution but failed to complete his duties because of capture Jean- Jacques Dessalines took over in 1802. He was captured before the war before the end of the war. The Revolution lasted from 1789-1803 until everything was settled and St. Domingue was a free land called Haiti.
The late 18th century and early 19th century was a prominent time period in which the French Revolution and Haitian revolution occurred. Both revolutions were connected to each other such that they shared similar causes and consequences. Together, France and Haiti were angered by the inequality and unfair privileges that continued to appear in their societies. At the same time, they were inspired and hopeful of bringing the Enlightenment ideas into reality. Although they were able to accomplish most of what they fought for, such as the abolition of slavery, they still took part in bloody revolutions. However, one of the greatest differences in their outcomes was that France emerged as a new, firm government as Haiti staggered with its new independence.
In addition to the economic issues, France also held an Estate System that led to heavy social inequality. This oppression of the Third Estate along with the financial problems that fell on the common people would lead to the French Revolution. Overall, the people of France revolted against the monarchy because of the unsuccessful estate system and the inequality it led to, because of the new enlightenment ideas that inspired them, and because of the failures of the monarchy. First, the French Revolution was a result of the failed estate system and the extreme economic and social inequality it led to.
The French Revolutions ideology of freedom and equality lead to the Haitian revolution in Saint Domingue. Saint Domingue was one of the richest colonies in the entire world during this time. It made a big profit for France, but the rules were also unfair. They favored only to the slave owners and whites. This is why many slaves wanted to revolt. Before the revolution, Saint Domingue was a major producer of coffee and sugar.
Beginning in mid-1789, and lasting until late-1799, the French Revolution vastly changed the nation of France throughout its ten years. From the storming of the Bastille, the ousting of the royal family, the Reign of Terror, and all the way to the Napoleonic period, France changed vastly during this time. But, for the better part of the last 200 years, the effects that the French Revolution had on the nation, have been vigorously debated by historian and other experts. Aspects of debate have focused around how much change the revolution really caused, and the type of change, as well as whether the changes that it brought about should be looked at as positive or negative. Furthermore, many debate whether the Revolutions excesses and shortcomings can be justified by the gains that the revolution brought throughout the country. Over time, historians’ views on these questions have changed continually, leading many to question the different interpretations and theories behind the Revolutions effectiveness at shaping France and the rest of the world.
The American and the French revolutions had many similarities and differences. One similarity being is that they both wanted to escape the rule of their King. Second, they both started by an uprising of people against unfair taxation by the monarchy. The French peasants were not represented by the Parliament. It was mainly composed of middle and upper class people. Now, the American colonists were not represented in England because of their lack of presence. Both wanted to set up a Republic, which provided liberty and justice to all classes of citizens. Just like France, the American colonists were composed up mainly middle and lower class citizens. The American Revolution started out by not wanting bloodshed and violence. France started out with violence and bloodshed. (American Revolution)
During the French Revolution, there was an unequal social structure resulting in the Third Estate or the lower class being taxed heavily by the First and Second estates, regardless of the population being larger. In Haiti, however, individuals were slaves and possessed no rights or freedom, therefore resulting in an unfair class system as well as racial tensions. Initially, France’s government faced major debts as a result of expensive wars and immoderate spending, causing them to tax the Third Estate, leading to revolution. Haiti’s economy, however, flourished as France acquired free labor from slaves who produced essential goods for trade and wealth. Although, after the revolution, both France and Haiti’s economy was negatively impacted, as a result of the violent rebellions that occurred in order to acquire independence. France was required to overthrow their own government, which was an internal force, however Haiti was required to overthrow an external force, which was France. Nevertheless, both applied violence in their movements and were influenced by significant leaders who enabled the success of the revolution, as they desired political equality within society. Plus, each possessed the same government after the revolutions took place. Thus, even though the French Revolution and Haitian Revolution occurred chronologically in this era of changing society, they both possess distinct aspects, as well as certain
Haiti, previously known as Saint-Domingue, was a slave island and one of the wealthiest of France’s colonies. Up until this point in time, slavery was still common and, as mentioned above, continued throughout the world even after such freedom declarations such as, the Declaration of Independence in the newly formed United States, and the Declaration of Rights of Man in the Republic of France. The Haitian Revolution was brought on by the want for liberation of slaves, and was largely inspired by the French Revolution and the Declaration of Rights of Man. “Even though the early leaders of the French Revolution had no intention of exporting the upheaval, it spread to the colonies, especially to Saint-Domingue” (Ott 1973). This revolution proved to be a major event as it was the most successful slave revolution in history. The slavery population in Haiti, vastly outnumbered the white colonists in Haiti, and therefore, when the slave population banded together, led to a full-scaled rebellion. Revolts would continue to occur until finally in 1793, the slaves got their freedom, with slavery officially being abolished in all French territories in 1794. From this point until 1802, small rebellions continued to occur as not much changed in the daily lives of slaves, despite technically having their freedom. After the French Revolution and with Napoleon taking power in 1799; Napoleon reinstated slavery in all French colonies, including Haiti. Napoleon also sent an army to Haiti to enforce these new slavery laws and Haiti returned to a slave economy in 1802 (Doyle 1943). The Haitian Revolutionaries finally get their win after defeating the French soldiers in the Battle of Vertieres in 1803; the final part of the revolution. The revolution officially ended in 1804, with Haiti gaining its independence from France and permanently abolishing slavery
The island of Saint-Domingue was made up of a mixture of people including whites from France, creoles, free people of color, and slaves. Once sugar became a major cash crop on the island, an estimated half-million African slaves were brought in to work the land. These slaves outnumbered their white masters more than ten to one and made up the majority of the island inhabitants. Even so, the island had the most secure slave regime in the Caribbean because of the cooperation between masters and free men of color. Due to the difficult policing jobs given to the freed men with little reward, the communication between them and the white masters broke down. Now that the white slaveholders were on their own, it was only a matter of time before their brutal treatment of slaves would lead to an uprising. Once enslaved Africans received word of the revolution in France they too began demanding freedom. After years of civil unrest and vicious fighting, Haiti declared its freedom from France in January of 1804. What makes the Haitian Revolution more radical than the two before it is the fact that it was led by slaves. Throughout the previous revolutions, the main goal was for white men, essentially, to be free from oppressive government rule. There were few thoughts regarding the rights of slaves, even though they too were men. The fact that this group of people were able to remove the colonial authority and establish their own country during this period of time was particularly radical and unheard
Shortly after the American Revolution another began across the Atlantic Ocean in Europe. The French Revolution happened for the same reason it occurred in America for; the working class was fed up paying for the wealthy people through taxes. King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette were enjoying lavish lifestyles whilst the Third Estate, or the working class were experiencing a rising cost in bread. Shortly after the Tennis Court Oath where the Third Estate concurred to unite as one to defy the king's taxes. Shortly after this oath the Third Estate stormed the Bastille Prison on July 14th, 1789 in order to raid the weaponry. The revolution took a turn for the worst when the Reign of Terror took its tole on France. Led by Robespierre many were guillotined including the king and queen. Robespierre was eventually overthrown and faced the same consequence as the king and queen. Leading to Napoleon Bonaparte seizing power and becoming emperor of France. Therefore, not much change occurred from the Revolution.
...d Haitian revolutions all believed that if they didn’t take their opportunity to succeed from their various rulers, they may lose all hope of ever doing so. It was this desperation for freedom, and the act of rebellion alone, that makes the American Revolution, the French Revolution, and Haitian Revolutions radial. They can be seen as some of the first major uprising to not only challenge those in control, but to incorporate Enlightenment ideas as part of their justification.
The French Revolution had a major impact on the Haitian Revolution. Starting in 1789, the French people, from the rich to the poor, rose up against their government and forced change in their political and social systems. In Haiti, there were also many different groups of people, including slave owners, poor whites, free and achieved "colored people," and slaves, all with conflicting interests. Oppressed groups fought, notably the free "colored people" and the slaves, both peacefully and violently, against their government and the laws restricting fundamental human rights and liberties. The Haitian revolutionaries benefited greatly from the Enlightenment ideas of progress and freedom in France, causing them to cause a rebellion and eventually
France had to declare bankruptcy after the American Revolution--war and debt helped bring down the monarchy. King, in 1787, called the Estates General, an assembly of noblemen buried since 1614. Thus the Revolution becan with an aristocratic attempt to recapture the state. "Men born and live free and equal under the law." Not democratic, but constitutional. The King was not King of France, but King of the French!!
The French revolution occurred from 1789 – 1795 but some argue that it went up till 1799. King Louis XVI was crowned after the 7 years’ war which plunged France into economical debt and led to rise of corruption. The king’s ignorance led to increase of privileges grasped by nobles and the rich. Years of bad or no harvest led to unrest in France as the rich enjoyed their position in society while the poor suffered. The people were divided into three different classes known as estates, namely third estate – the proletariat, second estate – the clergy and the first estate – the aristocrats or monarchs. All this lead to an uproar in 1789 which begun peacefully but the real revolution started with “The storming of Bastille” where revolutionist seized control of a prison fort in Paris. This was a start to a struggle which the led to the break off of third estate to form the National assembly. This was instrumental to bring together the Declaration of rights of citizen which brought together the idea that all classes were equal. External threats also shaped the revolution with France having to face off with Austria and Prussia and beat them in the battle of Flerus which uncovered the king had been in coalition with the enemy the whole time. This led to him facing trial along with the queen and as a result their execution. The outcome was the rise of another dictatorship – Napoleon Bonaparte. He plunged the country into war again with economy dropping to lows soon after the revolution
No one in France thought that helping the Americans gain freedom from Great Britain would lead to an all-out revolution of their own. Similarly to other revolutions that were sweeping the Atlantic region at this time, the French Revolution was largely based on the newly minted ideas of natural law and natural rights. While France dealt with their problems at home, people began to question slavery in French controlled colonies such as Saint Domingue, present day Haiti. The majority of French philosophes, the general name given to supporters of the Enlightenment, denounced slavery and urged for its termination. Others were not so sure how to approach this issue however, fearing what it would mean for the French economy if slaves were set free.