Post on 15-Jan-2016
transcript
ANALYZE THE CONDITIONS THAT PRODUCED SLAVE
INSURRECTIONS IN SAINT DOMINGUE.
Mathilda Seger, Ben Reed, and Sam Wooley
SOCIAL CAUSES
Thesis: The slaves of Saint-Domingue were influenced to
revolt when news of the French Revolution touched the
Haitian society in 1789, especially with their knowledge of
what freedom felt like from their lives in Africa, their missed
opportunity of freedom from the French abolition of slavery
in 1794, and the overwhelming 5:1 majority they held in the
colonies.• French Revolution• French abolition of slavery• Knowing Freedom in Africa• Overwhelming majority
FRENCH REVOLUTION
1789-1799
Declaration of the Rights of Man
Creates conditions for more revolution in Haiti
Encourages whites and affranchis to give hope to
enslaved people
Political and social upheaval
FRENCH ABOLITION OF SLAVERY
1794
Abolishes slavery in France and all French
territories
Gives hope to slaves, something to fight for
Should be free according to law, but kept enslaved
by the plantation owners
KNOWING FREEDOM FROM AFRICA
Because most owners would rather work their
slaves to death and buy new ones than keep them
healthy, nearly all of the slaves had been captured
only 10 years or less before the Revolution.
They knew what freedom was like
Desire for equality and freedom
OVERWHELMING MAJORITY
Enough people to overwhelm and overpower their slave
owners and to remove white people from the land
Large army can be created when the time is right
If France wants to reclaim the land, they have to send a
massive army to beat 500,000 slaves and growing
CONCLUSION
Slaves in Saint-Domingue found themselves in a
prime opportunity to strike against their cruel
plantation owners, with a large number in force and
a goal with an outcome that could change the world.