Latin American Revolutions

Causes of Latin American Revolutions

• Latin America = colonies of European countries during the 1800s

• Ideas of liberty and equality from the Enlightenment spread to Latin America

• American and French Revolutions showed that “it could be done”

• Social classes of Latin America were unfair - many people were unhappy

Haitian Revolution

Where is Haiti?

Haitian Revolution

• Haiti = French colony that produced sugar and coffee, had a large slave population

• Slaves were treated brutally and lived in poor conditions

• France was preoccupied with its own revolution

Haitian Revolution

• Slaves outnumbered French colonists 10:1 (500,000 slaves vs. 60,000 French colonists)

• In 1791, a group of 100,000 slaves rebelled

Haitian Revolution

Haitian Revolution

Toussaint L’Overture

• Leader of Haitain Revolution

• Gained control of Haiti and freed all slaves

• French troops captured L’Ouverture

• Died in a French prison in 1803

• Haiti became independent from France in 1804

• Only successful slave revolt in history Toussaint L’Overture

Assignment • Imagine you have been hired by

Toussaint L’Ouverture to write a “Help Wanted” advertisement to gain support for the Haitian Revolution

• Write a one-paragraph advertisement that addreses the following questions:

1. Who are you trying to get to be a part of the revolution?

2. Who are you going to revolt against?

3. What are the reasons for this revolution? Why should people join your revolution?