Transatlantic Slave Trade Dbq

The crossing of Columbus over the Atlantic the world brought a new world order that broadens the perspective of so many lives during the enlightment era. This can be seen as noted in The British Transatlantic Slave Trade: The Abolitionist Struggle: Opponents of the Slave Trade as the literacy rate is increasing into a little over half the population in England and wales could read by 1800. This increase of literacy can be closely correlated to the industrialization of society that brought abought a new middle class that came about with the establish of the Atlantic slave trade.(xix, Oldfield) With this new urbanization of citizens, it allowed for the wider spread of the enlightenment ideals to spread wider than ever as populations increase

with the new world. The Haitian revolution came during the age of revolution with the enlightenment movement in full swing along with the strong anti-slavery ideology that naturally comes with human rights. From the uprising starting as early as 1785 to the abolition of slavery in 1794, and to the establishment of Haiti in 1804 can call be correlated with the natural rights of humans that are discussed in the enlightenment period that invoke natural anti-slavery ideology.  The enlightenment period plays a strong influence in the language that is used as different groups in Saint- Domingue will argue for their natural human rights are being oppressed from the beginning of the uprising. The different groups in Saint-Domingue consist of planters, elite whites, then there are the free people of color, next come are the whites who do not own property, and lastly there are the enslaved people. Each one of these groups will have their own grievances as they see their unalienable rights persecuted from their own unique perspectives. The planters seek representation in France as the Storming of Bastille leads to the establishment of the Nation Assembly in July 1789. Shortly later comes the declaration of Rights of man, August 1789, which allows for the free people of color to achieve the desire to be seen officially as the full citizens, but not fully resolved their oppression by the aristocracy as the whites continue to deny them full citizenship that they as property owners naturally have to be part of having representation in colonial decision. The whites that have crossed the Atlantic in hopes of fast fortune seem to of misled people to believe there was still an abundance of land still in Saint-Domingue resulted in jealousy of the elites, and the free people of color especially. Lastly but not least by any means of the inhabitant of the island that feel oppressed by those that rule over them are the enslaved, as they have in almost inconceivable numbers have been captured, shipped across the ocean to a foreign nation and then enslaved for the rest of their lives. All of these oppressed inhabitants of St. Domingue will take their part in the uprising with their own interpretation of human rights.  With each group fighting for what they conceive to be their oven natural right being encroached upon will have a play in the uprising that ultimately leads to the abolition of slavery. Shortly after the National assembly was established March 8, and March 28 of 1790 the general assembly would pass a decree allowing the colonies the right to representation in the National assembly as well establish a colonial assembly (Doc 6, National Assembly). These decrees did not mention race, ultimately aiding a bump in the road for the free people of color to establish equal rights as citizens. In an attempt to revert the horrific situation of the Colonial assembly being given full power over racial reform laws, Abbé Gréorie, reached out through his Letter to Those Who Love Mankind. In this letter, he expresses his loss for human rights as the National assembly put his rights to a bearable life under "tyrants" who will oppress free people of color due to prejudice and greed. Grégorie also notes the benefits of the whites uniting with the "free" people of color; who have no desire to abolish slavery. Free people of color just want equal rights as citizens of France not only thanks to their unquestionable freedom but along with the being property holder themselves.

(Grégorie, 1790) As things began to digress between these clashing group of free people of color and the whites of Saint-Domingue the slaves are taking note of what is happening ultimately leading to a revolt in 1791. These revolts ultimately led by free people of color and some whites at the beginning of the uprising. What was different about this uprising of slaves was the fact that is was united as one slave revolt, a newspaper will note in the colonies as news is gathered about the revolt in Saint-Domingue on October 11, 1791, that resulted in the mass killings of whites on plantations. An attempt to calm the relations between clashing groups in the colonies France issued law of April 4, 1792, declaring that universal law to all citizens of France even those in the colonies. This will mark the beginning of the slave revolution as the tension between groups will ultimately spin out of control. The tension between the whites and free people of color ultimately started the slave revolution through the exploitation of the slave's natural desires for

freedom. Philadelphia General Advertiser; Reports from the insurrection October-November 1791 this newspaper reported on the slave revolts that talks about the unity of the slave uprising but also the destruction of this revolt. The newspaper also talks about the devastation to the plantations as 150 sugar-houses destroyed by the time of the middle of the uprising. As the newspaper goes on to report on the uprising it is clear there is little hope consolidation of the free people of color and the whites (Philadelphia General Advertiser, 1791). With the tensions spiraling out of control the French government try to step in by sending a Commander to make sure that the law of April 4, 1792 will be upheld. With the arrival of commander Sonthonax in Saint Domingue it come clear to this commander quickly of the unreconcilable difference between the groups. Sonthonax notes this as one of his decisions for ultimately ending slavery in Saint Domingue in 1793.  This decision to abolish slavery came from a last ditch effort to save the Saint Domingue from getting into the hands of the English as the whites tried to establish what the Americans had with the American Revolution but in Saint- Domingue. The white planter class ultimately wanted to establish their economic independence while keeping slavery. Sonthonax published August 29, a decree to abolish slavery in which he noted the need "foil malicious persons" who attempted to ensure "slavery of the nè gres forever and therefore to prohibit any system of liberty or even improvement of their fate" even though it was high time for the abolishment of slavery according to the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen in which he printed and circulated with his decree (Sonthonax, 1793). With this action Sonthonax put an end to the whites who tried to get join in with the British to ensure their sole economic independence while keeping slavery.

Sonthonax also would at the same time be winning allies to fight for the French as the rebel bands would switch from the Spanish to French as the leaders of the rebel groups would ensure their won self-interest by getting to run the plantations in some cases while giving the french what they want which is the followers of the rebel leaders to be back at work at the plantations. Ultimately Sonthonax had to offer the freedom to the slaves as the french army was at it was at war with Spain and England, and dealing with the French Revolution as the French monarch executed January 21, 1793.  National Convention will ratify the abolishment of slavery February 4, 1794 resulting in the final stretch to over throw oppression as the different group dynamics change but ultimately still not obtaining all of their natural rights. This is due to the fact that the whites who ultimately fled to France from the Saint Domingue started to have increasing influence in the National assembly, and they would go to announce that Saint Domingue had fallen to barbarism according to Gouly. Baptiste would protest the assertions in 1975 using the language of the enlightenment "citizen colleagues" this is his way to show their

equality.(Baptiste, 1795) As the conservatives continue to grow they watch Toussaint Louverture closely as by 1798 he as regained north and west provinces, as Laveaux would defend Louverture for being the ultimate reason that English surrender. The conservatives in France are grumbling as they have lost their lands that know are ultimately being held by Louverture and his followers. In 1799 Napoléon Bonaparte rose to power ultimately threatening the freedom the people color in Saint Domingue as he wanted to reverse universal law to return slavery to the colonies. This is seen in his instructions to his brother in law in 1802 on how to handle the dismantling of the rights of the black citizens in order to re-establish slavery. "...first phase,… deal with Toussaint, will promise him whatever he might ask for..." (Napoléon, 1802) Here Napoléon was trying to take the power from Toussaint as he would succeed in doing when Toussaint announce retirement handing over the army he had built up to Napoléon. Napoléon also instructed the arrest of Toussaint, and generals if possibly by tricking them to come to one of the major city of Saint- Domingue. Napoléon also wanted a mass execution of whites and black soldiers underneath Toussaint, as well as kill Dessalines and other generals. From these letters between Napoléon and Leclerc their intentions become clear to reinstate all blacks into slavery, but ship them off to other ports to make room to bring new slaves to Saint-Domingue. Toussaints hand over of the army shows the true intentions of the leaders for the self interert as they pursure thair unalianable rights of life liberty, and porperty. As little hope at first and the ultimate thought that fighting slavery was a lost cause would lead to generals intially staying with the French army when Toussaint left them in the French hands but as time progressed and the cruelty the french implemented while executed people of clolor convicede the general to flip sides ultimately allowing Desalines to declare the independent of state haiti on January 1, 1804.