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Global History Essay-The Haitian Revolution

Gleb Belousov

Professor Benjamin Lander

330-1N1-DW Introduction to Global History

2023/11/05

Global History Essay-The Haitian Revolution

Introduction

The Haitian Revolution was an important event that affected global history. It was

a chain of rebellions generally led by former slaves and free coloured people which

eventually caused the creation of the first independent state in Latin America.(Dubois and

Garrigus 30) The project that leaders of the revolution pursued was the creation of a state

to benefit the people which were previously deprived of rights and possessions.(Dubois

and Garrigus 30) The importance of an affair that pursued the objective of emancipation of

hundreds of thousands of people shouldn't be underestimated. The importance of the

Haitian Revolution can be further explored by describing its impact on the world. For

instance, the independence of Haiti inspired many revolutionaries in Americas.(Dubois

and Garrigus 30) Therefore, it affected the emergence of new states in the Americas which

is one of reasons why countries in the Americas are the way they are. As for more specific

things, the sale of Louisiana to the USA was a consequence of the inability of the French
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Empire to control its colony of Saint-Domingue. (Dubois and Garrigus 29) This sale

offered significant territorial possessions for the USA and affected the geopolitical

situation in the region.

The Haitian Revolution was happening in the context of the French revolution and

the Atlantic Slave trade. The French Revolution was an event that brought Saint-

Domingue into war with Britain and Spain.(Gamebook 20) For this reason, Saint-

Domingue was invaded by these two powers.(Gamebook 21) It assisted the emancipation

of slaves because Sonthonax granted freedom to those people who fought for France.

(Gamebook 21) Concerning the Atlantic Slave trade, it was an important factor that shaped

the demographics of Haiti in a form that was beneficial for the revolution. The Atlantic

Slave trade was an exchange between Americas and Africa which resulted in a massive

importation of Africans in Haiti.(Gamebook 17) Majority of the Haitian population was

black, therefore black people had power by being numerous and every side in the conflict

had to consider their opinion.(Gamebook 17)

Biography

Jean-Baptiste Belley was born in Africa.(character sheet 1) However, he was

educated in the french manner and overall was feeling himself as a french man.(character

sheet 1-3) At a young age Belley was brought to Saint-Domingue.(character sheet 1) It’s

not known if he was a slave or not, but at the adult age he was educated, free and owned

his own slaves.(character sheet 1) Even though he had his own slaves, Jean-Baptitste

Belley believed in liberal values.(character sheet 3-4) He wanted to live in a free society

with a democratic government.(character sheet 3-4) Later, my character served in the

militia and fought against rebel slaves.(character sheet 1) In 1794, he was elected a

representative of Saint-Domingue in Paris(character sheet 1). When Napoleon sent the

Leclerc expedition to the colony, Belley participated in it and then died in prison in 1805.
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(character sheet 1) In summary, Belley was a liberal man. Therefore, he would be upset

by the amount of power that Toussaint Louverture received.(Dubois and Garrigus 161)

My character would dislike the fact that Toussaint Louverture became so powerful.

As it is written in the article 28 of the constitution of 1801, General Toussaint Louverture

was nominated a governor for life.(Dubois and Garrigus161). It means that the general was

no longer a democratic ruler because the presence of a governor for life excludes any

possibility for an election during the lifetime of Toussaint. Furthermore, such a leader

would be more similar to some authoritarian king than to a governor that would protect

liberal and democratic values. As we all know and as probably Belley knew, kings usually

tend to rule until their death. Therefore, my character who wants a democratic government

would be alienated by article 28.

This opinion of my character on the constitution of 1801 would be also strengthened

by article 30, in which Toussaint Louverture receives an exclusive right to choose his

successor. (Dubois and Garrigus 161) It means that people of Saint-Domingue won't have

a say in the election of the governor even after the death of Toussaint. Obviously, it goes

against the idea of representation of people because if people don't vote it means that their

opinion is not represented. This idea was very important for Jean-Baptiste Belley.

(character sheet 3-4)He would obviously dislike article 30 since it deprived people of their

right to vote by giving this power to Toussaint Louverture.

The context of the Haitian Revolution would contribute to the negative opinion of my

character on this constitution. This is due to the fact that a big part of the population of

Saint-Domingue was from Africa.(Gamebook 17) This part of the population had a

tendency to organize themselves into groups ruled by a monarch.(Gamebook 17)

Therefore, such people supported the idea of having a king. Considering that Touissaint

was already similar to a King because of his privilege of being a governor for life and of
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being able to choose his successor, the general support of monarchy would give him an

opportunity to become a king, or, at least, gather a lot of executive power in his hands.

(Dubois and Garrigus 161) This is exactly what Belley was against. Jean-Baptiste Belley

believed that the power of the government should be limited, so he would obviously be

always suspicious about articles 28 and 30 because they offered an opportunity for

Touissaint to use the support of monarchy in the population in his favor.

In conclusion, my character would think that the privilege of Touissaint to choose a

successor goes against the principle of representation and that the article 28 gives him an

opportunity to gather a lot of executive power making him similar to a king. This goes

against liberal and democratic values of Bellay, so he would dislike the constitution of

1801.

Work cited page

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Dubois and Garrigus. Slave Revolution in the Caribbean, 1789-1804, 2nd ed.,

https://dawsoncollege-lea.omnivox.ca/cvir/ddle/VisualiseDocument.aspx?

C=DAW&E=P&L=ANG&Ref=20231104175243&SID=20ba9bfb-3913-45af-

a386-

ad898d29740b&Info=a3pVeUk2SDZnSkpNTE1sbFhHR1VHQXgwKzhlekhsWn

ZOZjA4alg1SXJCOVQ5ZWkwZmpJZ09HdnlEVW14ejY1Ymd6K0huYVVSM0

5FM2R4ajNXK01GZDdrbzFNSU53TDFjN1gxMURSR1EzYWtvWlpvNjdFZ3R

xZ1pXM2FiMkhueGZRNi9ySDQrQjFXV1FSRHh0MWdhbS9qeGpDWkNjUFV

zT1NjaWE4WWRVUlFRPQ__&IDDocCoursDocument=931ac053-5343-46db-

98db-d24ac95f17b4

Shutt and King. “Character Sheet” 330-1N1-DW Introduction to History course manual,

Reacting to the Past

Shutt and King. “From Saint Domingue to Haiti”, 330-1N1-DW Introduction to History

course manual, Reacting to the Past

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