The Haitian Revolution was a successful insurrection by self-liberated slaves against French colonial rule in Saint-Domingue, now the sovereign state of Haiti. The revolution was the only known slave uprising in … See more

Social stratification
In 1789, Saint-Domingue produced 60% of the world's coffee and 40% of the sugar imported by France and Britain. The colony was not only the most profitable possession of the French colonial empire, but it was the … See more

Onset of the revolution
Guillaume Raynal attacked slavery in the 1780 edition of his history of European colonization. He also predicted a general slave revolt in the colonies, saying that there were signs of "the impending storm". One such sign was … See more

Rebellion against reimposition of slavery
For a few months, the island was quiet under Napoleonic rule. But when it became apparent that the French intended to re-establish … See more

Slave economy in Saint-Domingue
Much of Caribbean economic development in the 18th century was contingent on Europeans' demand for sugar See more

After the establishment of the French First Republic, the National Assembly made radical changes to French laws and, on 26 August 1789, published the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, declaring all men free and equal. The Declaration was … See more

Toussaint Louverture
Toussaint Louverture, although a self-educated former domestic slave, was one of the most … See more