Name: Sam Rosen
World History II Unit Study Guide
The Haitian Revolution
Directions:
All study guide answers should be numbered and lettered as they are listed below.
Study guide must be typed! Your completed study guide will be submitted on Turnitin.
Use your class readings, notes, & handouts to complete your study guide!
IF you have felt the need to consult an outside source, it should be cited in parentheses at the end of the question you are answering! However, you should be able to complete your study guide by only using what’s in your Haitian Revolution binder section.
Going directly to the Internet to complete your study guide without using our class materials will likely lead you to information that may confuse or contradict what we have discussed in class!
IF you have used portions of Questions answered on Google Classroom when completing your study guide, mention that in parentheses at the end of the question(s) you are answering!
In addition to the unit questions, be prepared to respond to the following unit ‘essential questions’ on your test:
Was the Haitian Revolution a success or failure, according to our class definition of revolution?
Haitian Revolution Assessment (and completed study guide due on Turn It In) on: ___________________
Part I – Terms & People: Define the following terms in your own words using our class readings & handouts!
Old World- Europe (Spain in particular)
New World- the Americas (Hispaniola)
Indigenous population- native people of Hispaniola
Tainos- the original inhabitants of Hispaniola
Hispaniola- an island in the Caribbean
Saint-Domingue- the western part of Hispaniola that was controlled by the French
Santo Domingo- the Spanish land of current day Dominican Republic
Colonialism- the domination by one country of the political, economic, and/or cultural life of another country or region
Imperialism- the practice of acquiring partial or full political control over another territory, occupying it with settlers, and exploiting it financially
Colonial possessions- the territories the Europeans controlled
Autonomy- the state of being self-governing (https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/autonomy)
Sovereignty- a supreme power or authority
Insurrection- violent uprising against an authority
Triangular trade- trade between Europe, Africa, and the Americas
Middle Passage- the journey between Africa and the Americas
Black Code (Code Noir)- a set of codes that outlined France’s position on slavery in its colonies
Abolition- the act of destroying or getting rid of something
Maroons- Runaway slaves from plantations that formed their own communities
Affranchis- free people of color
Vodou- A religion developed by enslaved Africans and Americans.
The Enlightenment- an intellectual movement of the 16 and 1700’s in which people began to apply reason to human societies
American Revolution- colonial revolt for the Patriots to win independence from Great Britain
Toussaint Louverture- a former slave leader that controlled northern and western Saint-Domingue and later was the leader of the entire island
Andre Rigaud- an affranchis leader that controlled southern Saint-Domingue
Jean Jacques Dessalines- Louverture’s top official who defeated the last of Rigaud’s army and proclaimed the creation of Haiti
Civil war- a war between different divisions of society within the same country
Napoleon Bonaparte- French leader in the French Revolution
Blockade- a wall or structure to keep something out
Trade concessions- Adjustments of trade values or prices
Haiti- the former French colony named Saint-Domingue (now a free country located southeast of Florida)
Part II – Unit Questions: Answer the following questions in complete sentences. Some answers will be longer than others!
A. What were the primary motivations for European colonization? (hint: 3 Gs)
The primary motivations for European colonization were God, Gold, and Glory.
B. What advantages did the Europeans have over the indigenous peoples of the Americas?
The Europeans had guns and better weapons, germs and diseases that they could survive, and domestic animals that could be used more muscle power.
C. Which European countries possessed the largest amount of territory in the Americas by the year 1763?
Spain, Britain, and France possessed the largest amount of territory in the Americas.
2. A. Compare and contrast Old World (Pre-Columbian) and New World slavery (the Atlantic slave trade).
The Old World had many more options for their slaves and treated them a lot better. They had the ability to earn their freedom and even become a part of their society. The New World punished their slaves with whips and treats them as less-than humans.
B. What was life like for enslaved people in Saint-Domingue?
The slaves were the property of citizens and were beaten and whipped to almost the point of death.
C. How did enslaved people resist slavery in Saint-Domingue?
They revolted against their owners and burned the plantations.
D. What were the consequences of the Atlantic slave trade?
It caused a large scale revolution, killing many high-ranking people and eventually resulting in the death of the king of France.
3. A. How did the Enlightenment, abolition movement, and American Revolution all contribute to the Haitian Revolution?
They contributed to the Haitian revolution by making people apply logic and reason to human societies and cause them to take action against slavery.
B. How did the French Revolution create conditions that made the Haitian Revolution possible?
The French Revolution gave hope to the enslaved people of Saint-Domingue. Also, with France’s government in ruins, the colonial policies were constantly changing, causing a chaotic situation perfect for a revolt.
4. A. How did the goals of the Saint-Domingue rebels evolve over time?
At first, all they wanted was better working conditions and the use of the whip as punishment to be eliminated, but as time went on, they wanted to complete emancipation of the white people.
B. What role did divisions in Saint-Domingue’s society play in the events of the Haitian Revolution?
The different parts of society had different opinions and ultimate goals, therefore leading to multiple different groups fighting in the revolution.
C. How did the governments of Spain, Great Britain, and the United States react to the Haitian Revolution? What were their motivations?
They were afraid the war would spread to their neighboring colonies so they stayed neutral at first. Eventually, the United States and Great Britain decided to aid Louverture and funded him for supplies.
D. When was slavery abolished in France’s colonies?
Slavery was fully abolished in France’s colonies in 1794.
E. What was the outcome of the civil war between Louverture and Rigaud’s forces?
The outcome of the civil war between Louverture and Rigaud’s forces were Louverture won and took to controlling all of Saint-Domingue.
5. A. What were the most important aspects of the constitution Toussaint Louverture put into effect in July 1801?
He outlawed Vodou, made everyone French citizens, and increased the minimum amount of land someone could own so that not as many people owned land.
B. Why did so many formerly enslaved people of Saint-Domingue oppose the constitution?
They wanted to be able to own their own land and were upset that their religion was banned.
6. A. Why did Napoleon re-invade Saint-Domingue?
He wanted to capture the leaders, disarm the masses, and reinstate the plantation system.
B. Describe the course and outcomes of this military endeavor.
He invaded Saint-Domingue and captured Louverture, who died in a prison in France.
C. On what day and year did Haiti declare its independence?
Haiti declared its independence on January 1, 1804.
D. What were the 3 phases of the Haitian Revolution?
The three phases of the Haitian Revolution were the Slave Revolt, the Civil War, and the Constitution of 1801.
7. A. What were a newly independent Haiti’s biggest challenges in the years immediately after independence?
The challenges they faced were the isolation from the US, England, and Spain both commercially and diplomatically. They were also left without an economy from the destruction of all the plantations, and were forced to pay France a lot of money in damages during the war.
B. What were the effects of the Haitian Revolution?
Many slaves in the surrounding colonies were inspired by the revolt. In contrast, the revolution caused France to sell the Louisiana Purchase to the US, making slavery last a lot longer there. It also caused Haiti to go into extreme poverty for a long time.
8. In 2-3 sentences for each, briefly explain how the following present-day realities are connected to the Haitian Revolution and its aftermath. (Hint: refer to the ‘Black in Latin America’ video worksheet.)
A. Dominicans not identifying as black or identifying with their African heritage
After the Dominicans were freed from Haiti, they rejected everything about themselves that connected them to the Haitians. Even though they are a mix of blacks, tans, and browns, they identify with Spanish heritage. They believe that the motherland is Spain, not Africa.
B. Dominican resentment and racism towards Haitians
Once the Dominicans reinstated their plantations, they forced the Haitians to do all the work for them. They did the jobs that no Dominicans would do. Eventually, the Haitians were identified as a different kind of black than the Dominicans.
C. Haitian pride in mixed cultural & African heritage
In Haiti, the Haitians show their pride in statues of black men and the people who claimed the first black nation independent. They also show it through their art by imitating and inheriting everything Haiti had to offer.
D. Poverty & economic hardship in Haiti
After the Revolution, Haiti was left without an economy to build off of and a large amount of debt to pay. When they finally gave France everything they owed, they were left in extreme poverty. Then, after an earthquake, one and a half million people were left homeless, making Haiti the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere.
E. Haitian political instability
In the aftermath of the Revolution, France and the US did everything in their power to cripple Haiti. At one point, the US marines arrived in Port-au-Prince to try and occupy it. This created political, social, and economic instability as a result.