History Research Paper: Haitian Revolution

HAITIAN REVOLUTION
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The Haitian Revolution is the first and only victorious slave revolution in the Americas. The unfolding of events leading to the revolution began in 1791 following the brutal exploitation of slaves who rose to protest against their masters on one of the most profitable colony, Saint-Domingue in the 18th century. A few years of protest prompted slave insurgents to force the colonial French authorities to free them and the decision to free the slaves was ratified in 1784 by revolutionary Paris. It was a victorious stunning challenge in the entire Americas as well as in the southern United States in terms of slave/master relations, which buttressed the most fervent hopes of slaves as well as the worst fears among masters. However, the attack on the French colony by the Spanish and British forces disrupted peace in Saint-Domingue. Acting to rescue the colony, Toussaint Louverture, an ex-slave organized for armies and defeated the attackers. The political power of Louverture threatened Napoleon Bonaparte who organized for his killing and the subjugation of the ex-slaves. Following a series of many battles, a victory over the French colony led to the birth of Haiti although Louverture did not live to see the freedom. This was followed by a lasting abolition of slavery in Haiti after years of brutal violence, struggle, and imperial war. The events of the revolution and Haitian independence reformed the Atlantic world leading to the sale of Louisiana to the United States as well as the development of the sugar company in Cuba.[Laurent, Dubois, Avengers of the new world: The story of the Haitian Revolution (Cambridge: The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 2004), 154] [Dubois, 2] [Dubois, 2]
Although the Haitian Revolution narrative comprises of different players and names of individuals who contributed to the historical event, notable leaders include Toussaint Louverture, Dutty Boukman, Jean-Jacques Dessalines, Vincent Oge, and Andre Rigaud. Toussaint Louverture was a free man who owned a plantation. Initially, Louverture fought against the British attackers in defense of the French. Following an agreement that France would emancipate all slaves, Louverture organized his fellow blacks to fight in support of France. The establishment of the order saw Louverture ruling the island as an independent entity and in 1801, he issued a constitution for Saint-Domingue after the weakening of France from its revolutions. While he called for black autonomy and sovereignty from the French rule, Napoleon dispatched an expedition to Haiti aiming to reclaim the territory. The French force comprising of 31,000 fighters was defeated by Louverture. As the battles continued, Louverture saw some of his closest fellows join the French force resulting in his eventual arrest. He later died at Fort-de-Joux on April 7, 1803.[Dubois, 171] [Dubois, 242] [Dubois, 30]
The Haitian Revolution started about august 1791 as thousands of slaves protested against their masters. The slaves were led by leaders such as Boukman who carefully formed their following and organized a revolt. Boukman, a Jamaican voodoo priest had escaped from his slave masters and...