| The Christian Century [29][pageneeded], Like Louverture, Jean-Baptiste Belley was an active participant in the insurrection. Jason | Citizenship was offered to any slave or oppressed person that made it to Haiti's shores as mandated by Dessaline's constitution. However, much like his predecessors, this was achieved through forced labor which ultimately led to his downfall. It involved black, biracial, French, Spanish, British, and Polish participantswith the ex-slave Toussaint Louverture emerging as Haiti's most prominent general. Available on. Revolutions on Apple Podcasts [82] The French commander, the mulatto General Alexandre Ption, proved to be an excellent artilleryman, who used the guns of his fort to sink two of the three ships-of-the-line under Admiral Hyde Parker in the harbour, before turning his guns to the British forces; a French sortie led to a rout of the British, and Forbes retreated back to Port-au-Prince. France continued the slavery system in French Guiana, Martinique, and Guadeloupe. His theory was that if French forces were able to capture Toussaint LOuverture everything else would fall apart afterward. Next: The Haitian Revolution. Studies in the History of Political Thought, "Freedom at All Cost: Remembering History's Greatest Slave Rebellion", "Invade Haiti, Wall Street Urged. [126] He proclaimed that every citizen would belong to one of two categories, laborer or soldier. [19] Most slaves spoke a patois of the French language known as Haitian Creole, which was also used by island-born mulattoes and whites for communication with the workers. Read about our approach to external linking. It was the area of greatest economic importance, especially as most of the colony's trade went through these ports. [104] Captain Marcus Rainsford, a British Army officer who visited Saint-Domingue observed the training of the Haitian Army, writing: "At a whistle, a whole brigade ran three or four hundred yards, and then, separating, threw themselves flat on the ground, changing to their backs and sides, and all the time keeping up a strong fire until recalledThis movement is executed with such facility and precision as totally to prevent cavalry from charging them in bushy and hilly country". The podcast covered modern political revolutions, beginning with the English Revolution. Trevor | [114] In November, Leclerc died of yellow fever, like much of his army. The rebels' organizational capacity and tenacity under pressure inspired stories that shocked and frightened slave owners in the hemisphere.[12]. [117] Having sold the Louisiana Territory to the United States in April 1803, Napoleon accepted defeat in his failing ventures in the Western Hemisphere. [67], Sonthonax sent three of his deputies, namely the colonist Louis Duffay, the free black army officer Jean-Baptiste Belley and a free man of color, Jean-Baptiste Mills, to seek the National Convention's endorsement for the emancipation of slaves near the end of January 1794. The Assembly granted civil and political rights to free men of color in the colonies in March 1792. As the French retreated, Haiti, which had once been called the "Pearl of the Antilles", the richest French colony in the world, was impoverished, as its economy was in ruins after the revolution. [79] The overall forces in St Domingue was at that time under the command of the lieutenant-governor of Jamaica, Sir Adam Williamson. [104] The French had been expecting the Haitians to happily go back to being their slaves, as they believed it was natural for blacks to be the slaves of whites, and were stunned to learn how much the Haitians hated them for wanting to reduce them back to a life in chains. Since the resistance and the murderous disease environment made it impossible for Napoleon to regain control over Haiti, he gave up hope of rebuilding a French New World empire. [131][132] The massacrewhich took place in the entire territory of Haitiwas carried out from early February 1804 until 22 April 1804. The mulattoes were harassed by a pocket of black rebellion in their rear from February 1807 to May 1819. The president of France on Thursday stepped into the cold mountain prison where Toussaint Louverture, a famed leader of the Haitian Revolution, died 220 years ago . However, all was not simple in the press. 00:00. He is an avid fan of the Seattle Mariners baseball team. He lost interest in commanding his army and as James wrote, he "amused himself with sexual pleasures, military balls, banquets and the amassing of a personal fortune".[114]. [119] The last battle on land of the Haitian Revolution, the Battle of Vertires, occurred on 18 November 1803, near Cap-Hatien fought between Dessalines' army and the remaining French colonial army under the Vicomte de Rochambeau; the slave rebels and freed revolutionary soldiers won the battle. Although Mackandal was captured by the French and burned at the stake in 1758, large armed maroon bands persisted in raids and harassment after his death.[18][24]. "Haiti, Slavery, and the Age of the Democratic Revolution". [13] However, the Haitian Revolution quickly became a test of the new French republic, as it radicalized the slavery question and forced French leaders to recognize the full meaning of their stated ideology. Most historians classify the people of the era into three groups: The first group were white colonists, or les blancs. After a few decades of fighting, in 1697 the Spanish ceded the western part of the island to the French, who named their colony Saint-Domingue. A black leader named Goman kept alive the angry spirit of Dessalines in the southern mountains of the Grand-Anse, resisting several mulatto punitive expeditions. The remainder of the squadron was forced to fight two more actions on their return to Europe, but did eventually reach the Spanish port of Corunna. [106] By the end of March, 5,000 French soldiers had died of yellow fever and another 5,000 were hospitalized with yellow fever, leading to a worried Leclerc to write in his diary: "The rainy season has arrived. This was fairly common with the Spanish . 07 December 2015 at 10:12 PM. Tour dates and links: Sept. 6 Madison -- Mystery to Me Sept. 7 Chicago -- Seminary Co-Op Sept. 8 Portland -- Powell's Books Sept. 9 Seattle -- Elliott Bay Book Company Sept. 12 Boulder -- Boulder Book . In nationalistic terms, the abolition of slavery also served as a moral triumph of France over England, as seen in the latter half of the above quote. [39] Rian Johnson was listening to the History of Rome podcast as he was writing the script for Star Wars: The Last Jedi. Whites kept control of only a few isolated, fortified camps. Season 1 - The Work Revolution. Accessed 25 March 2015. [174] The French media also played an important role in the Haitian Revolution, with contributions that made many French upstarts quite interested in the young, passionate Toussaint's writings of freedom. As a result, many Polish soldiers admired their opponents, to eventually turn on the French army and join the Haitian slaves. [54] The success of the rebellion caused the National Assembly to realize it was facing an ominous situation. Then they would come back to Haiti and own plantations and slaves of their own. The series covered the English Civil War, the American Revolution, the French Revolution, the Haitian Revolution, Simon Bolivar and Gran Colombia, the July Revolution, the Revolutions of 1848, the Paris Commune, the Mexican Revolution, and finally the Russian Revolution, ending its run of narrative episodes in July 2022. [7], Duncan's interest in Roman history grew from a "general interest in ancient civilizations." Accessed 26 March 2015. Plantation owners produced sugar as a commodity crop from cultivation of sugarcane, which required extensive labor. During the course of The History of Rome, Duncan married and made a special The History of Rome episode on Roman wedding customs in celebration. [14] They used the threat and acts of physical violence to maintain control and suppress efforts at rebellion. My troops are exhausted with fatigue and sickness". [109] On January 1, 1804, Haiti declared its independence, and in the proclamation, they used the expression Live free or die, which they had taken from the American revolution. Revolutions Podcast - University of Wisconsin-Madison Posted by: Two centuries ago, Haitians revolted against their French masters and declared independence. Taking no prisoners, Rigaud's predominantly mulatto forces put blacks and whites to the sword. He further thought that taking Saint-Domingue, the richest of the French colonies, would be a useful bargaining chip in eventual peace negotiations with France, and in the interim, occupying Saint-Domingue would mean diverting its great wealth into the British treasury. The proportion of slaves was not as high in the Spanish portion of the island. 'The Greatest Heist In History': How Haiti Was Forced To Pay - NPR Now: The Russian Revolution Next: ??? [19], The larger groups of runaway slaves who lived in the hillside woods away from white control often conducted violent raids on the island's sugar and coffee plantations. Many runaway slavescalled maroonshid on the margins of large plantations, living off the land and what they could steal from their former masters. 06 December 2015 at 09:56 PM. In April 2021, with Duncan's work on the book completed, he and his family returned to the United States. There were far more Africans than Europeans, so they would separate out the slaves. A Muddy Knees Media production for BBC Radio 4. Also, on the French side, none of the colonies were making as much money as Haiti, so they were trying to maintain control even while there was a lot of turmoil in France. The largest and busiest port was Le Cap, the former capital of Saint-Domingue. Then sugar was introduced. This seems like an incredibly volatile situation to begin with. The first effective maroon leader to emerge was the charismatic Haitian Vodou priest Franois Mackandal, who inspired his people by drawing on African traditions and religions. Revolutions Podcast by Mike Duncan - S4: Haitian Revolution - YouTube We look at the life of revolutionary leader Toussaint Louverture, confront the atrocities committed against the people of Haiti and the literal price they were forced to pay for their freedom. The British force that landed in Saint-Domingue in 1793 was too small to conquer the colony, being capable only of holding only few coastal enclaves. The new governor of Jamaica, Alexander Lindsay, 6th Earl of Balcarres, urged Maitland not to withdraw from Mole St Nicholas. Haiti was hell, but Haiti was rich". There was growing frustration between the workers, the elites, and Dessalines. The series' main narrative ended in July 2022. [164] Just as the French were successful in transforming their society, so were the Haitians. France's transformation was most influential in Europe, and Haiti's influence spanned every location that continued to practice slavery. Great job with the overview in the first episode. On 24 July another British squadron intercepted the main French squadron from Cap Franais, which was attempting to break past the blockade and reach France. They grew cotton, tobacco, indigo, a few subsistence crops, but they were small farms with very few slaves, and everyone working side by side. The second group were free people of color, or gens de couleur libres, who were usually mixed-race (sometimes referred to as mulattoes), being of both African and French descent. The word revolution means coming full circle, so it seems like the best way to begin the end. French writer Guillaume Raynal attacked slavery in his history of European colonization. The largest and most encompassing of those civilizations to Duncan was always the Romans. Two days later an independently sailing French frigate was chased down and captured in the same waters. 4.0 Another Revolutions Podcast Update | When slaves left the plantations or disobeyed their masters, they were subject to whipping or to more extreme torture such as castration or burning, the punishment being both a personal lesson and a warning for other slaves. '"[26], The book received widespread praise, with many reviewers noting how the events described in the book portend to modern times. The average life span of a slave in Haiti was 7 years. Workers were given a fourth of all wealth produced from their labor. The Code Noir required 2 1/2 pounds of manioc and either two pounds of salt beef or three pounds of fish every week, but generally most slaves only got a few potatoes and a little bit of water every day. And Domingo became Domingue. But within weeks, the number of slaves who joined the revolt in the north reached 100,000. "Black Talleyrand: Toussaint Louverture's Secret Diplomacy with England and the United States," William and Mary Quarterly 66:1 (Jan. 2009), 87124. While some white refugees blamed the French Revolutionary government for sparking the violence in Haiti, many supported the Republican regime and openly expressed their support of the Jacobins. Revolutions Podcast Update: The End is Nigh? The planters would be free to operate slavery as they pleased without the existing minimal accountability to their French peers. [105] All of the French assaults ended in total failure, and after the failure of their last attack, the Haitians charged the French, cutting down any Frenchmen. However, the social conflict cultivated under slavery continued to affect the population for years to come. [106] Louverture was promised his freedom if he agreed to integrate his remaining troops into the French army. Over seven years and more than 300 episodes of Duncan's gripping and well-researched Revolutions podcast, he has seen off many crowned heads and erstwhile revolutionary leaders. Tear up the roads with shot; throw corpses and horses into all the foundations, burn and annihilate everything in order that those who have come to reduce us to slavery may have before their eyes the image of the hell which they deserve". PBS. Its also highly profitable, so more and more plantations were established, and more and more slaves were imported. Dcolonisations - Hati Mar 26, 2023. They still practiced traditions and religions that they brought with them from Africa, and that influenced the revolution as well. "[8], Regarding modern history, Duncan has predicted that Silicon Valley may be seen in the future as groundbreaking as the Renaissance was, stating that "we have lived in the last twenty years through some of the most impressive advances in human civilization. Haitian Revolution. During February and March, Dessalines traveled among the cities of Haiti to assure himself that his orders were carried out. Revolutions Podcast by Mike Duncan - S4: Haitian Revolution - Episode 1 Khwarezmid 3.87K subscribers Subscribe 19K views 4 years ago Link (s) to the episode (s):. [6][7], The revolution's effects on the institution of slavery were felt throughout the Americas. Girard, Philippe. Others fled to towns, to blend in with urban slaves and freed blacks who often migrated to those areas for work. Show Revolutions, Ep 4.19- The History of Haiti - Apr 17, 2016 Although the series of events during these years is known under the name of "Haitian Revolution", alternative views suggest that the entire affair was an assorted number of coincidental conflicts that ended with a fragile truce between free men of color and blacks. [125] The affranchi lite, who continued to rule Haiti while the formidable Haitian army kept them in power. Blackburn, Robin. . This is an episode index for Mike Duncan's fabulous Revolutions Podcast. Frank Gulla | The Western province, however, grew significantly after the colonial capital was moved to Port-au-Prince in 1751, becoming increasingly wealthy in the second half of the 18th century. A weekly podcasting exploring great political revolutions. The French colony of Saint-Domingue was the single most lucrative colony in the New World. [148], Other historians say the Haitian Revolution influenced slave rebellions in the U.S. as well as in British colonies. However, the Poles were told that there was a revolt of prisoners in Saint-Domingue. The Africans mostly allied with the royalists and the British, as they understood that if Saint-Domingue's independence were to be led by white slave masters, it would probably mean even harsher treatment and increased injustice for the African population. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. He died months later in prison at Fort-de-Joux in the Jura Mountains. [61][62] The American journalist James Perry notes that the great irony of the British campaign in Saint-Domingue was that it ended as a complete debacle, costing the British treasury millions of pounds and the British military thousands upon thousands of dead, all for nothing. Google Podcasts - revolutions podcast The Haitian Revolution, which took place between 1791-1804, is significant because Haiti is the only country where slave freedom was taken by force. No, they did not. The Mexican Revolution - Every 5 Days. Going to Paris this month. ), Following Dessaline's assassination, another of Toussaint's black generals, Henri Christophe, succeeded his in control of the north, while Alexandre Ption presided over mulatto rule in the south. This was a special, public punishment dealt out because the whites in Haiti didnt want to extend full rights to the gens de couleur. In 2017, Duncan wrote The Storm Before the Storm, which was well reviewed and appeared on The New York Times Best Seller List. A conspiracy led by the mulatto elites ultimately led to Dessalines assassination and two separate sovereign states of Haiti. A weekly podcast series examining great political revolutions. [5] Duncan also occasionally creates political comic strips in collaboration with illustrator Jason Novak.[6]. [105] While Toussaint took to the field, he left Dessalines in command of Crte--Pierrot, who from his fastness could see three French columns converging on the fort. Revolutions aired from 15 September 2013 to 3 July 2022. It covers the English revolution, the American revolution, the French revolution, the Haitian revolution, the Spanish-American Wars of Independence, The July Revolution (1830 France),the Revolution of 1848, The Paris Commune, the Mexican revolution, and Russian Revolution (both 1905 and 1917). The British, led by Commodore John Loring gave chase, but one French ship of the line and a frigate escaped. [109], Haiti's first head of state Jean-Jacques Dessalines called Polish people "the White Negroes of Europe", which was then regarded a great honor, as it meant brotherhood between Poles and Haitians. The slave population declined at an annual rate of two to five percent, due to overwork, inadequate food and shelter, insufficient clothing and medical care, and an imbalance between the sexes, with more men than women. "Napolon Bonaparte and the Emancipation Issue in Saint-Domingue, 17991803," French Historical Studies 32:4 (Fall 2009), 587618. All the best. Find the Data. He dispatched a force under Major General Gordon Forbes to Port-au-Prince.
