Feature History - Haitian Revolution (Part 1)

Summary

This video explores the Haitian Revolution, highlighting its significance as the first successful slave uprising that led to Haiti becoming the first independent Latin American nation and the only state founded by former slaves. It delves into Haiti's colonial history under French rule, the brutal treatment of slaves, and the events that led to the revolution. The video also covers key figures like Toussaint Louverture and touches on foreign interventions by Spain and Britain. The presenter also promotes Nebula and CuriosityStream, offering exclusive content and documentaries on historical topics.

Takeaways

• 📚 The video is sponsored by CuriosityStream and Nebula, with exclusive content available on those platforms.
• 🌍 The Haitian Revolution was a significant historical event that abolished slavery and colonialism before these ideas were mainstream.
• 🇭🇹 Haiti became the first independent nation in Latin America, the second republic in the Americas, and the only state founded by former slaves.
• 🔨 The revolution began as a slave insurrection, led and fought by slaves, which had a profound impact on history.
• 🌴 Haiti (formerly Saint-Domingue) was a French colony known for its wealth, particularly in coffee, indigo, and sugar production, sustained by brutal slavery.
• ⚔️ The slave uprising in 1791, triggered by a Vodou ceremony led by Dutty Boukman, was highly organized and unexpectedly successful, shocking the colonial authorities.
• 🤝 Toussaint Louverture emerged as a key leader during the revolution, negotiating with colonial authorities and later joining forces with the French against Spain and Britain.
• 👑 The French Revolution's ideals and abolition of slavery in France and its colonies played a crucial role in the Haitian Revolution.
• 🛡️ Foreign powers like Spain and Britain attempted to intervene in Saint-Domingue, but ultimately failed to suppress the revolution, especially due to Toussaint's leadership.
• 🎥 The video also mentions exclusive content on Nebula, and features creators who explore history and other subjects through engaging documentaries.

Q & A

What is the significance of the Haitian Revolution?

The Haitian Revolution was significant because it led to the first permanent abolition of slavery in the world and created the only state founded by slaves. It also dismantled colonialism and empires before these ideas were widespread, making Haiti the first independent nation in Latin America and the second republic in the Americas.

Why was the Haitian Revolution often overshadowed or overlooked in history?

The Haitian Revolution is often overshadowed because it took place in a relatively small colony and involved enslaved people rebelling, a narrative that was uncomfortable for many colonial powers to acknowledge. Furthermore, it disrupted major economic and colonial systems, making it less prominently discussed compared to revolutions like the American or French Revolutions.

What role did the practice of vodou play in the Haitian Revolution?

Vodou played a central role in uniting the slaves of different backgrounds during the Haitian Revolution. The high priest, Dutty Boukman, gave the signal for rebellion during a secret vodou ceremony, and the shared West African elements of vodou helped foster a sense of common heritage among the enslaved people.

Who was Toussaint Louverture, and what role did he play in the Haitian Revolution?

Toussaint Louverture was a former slave and affranchis who became a key leader of the Haitian Revolution. He initially joined the rebellion and later negotiated with various powers. He defected from the Spanish army to join the French and played a crucial role in expelling both Spanish and British forces from Saint-Domingue.

How did external powers like Spain and Britain become involved in the Haitian Revolution?

Spain and Britain became involved in the Haitian Revolution by attempting to influence the outcome for their own colonial interests. Spain offered aid to the slave revolt in exchange for French territories, while Britain sought to contain the rebellion to prevent it from spreading and claimed Saint-Domingue to expand their empire.

What was the role of affranchis in the revolution, and how did their ambitions differ from those of the slaves?

The affranchis, who were freed slaves and mixed-race individuals, initially sought equality with white colonists rather than the abolition of slavery. They owned slaves and aspired to rise in colonial society. However, after being denied their rights, they aligned with the slave rebellion to fight for their own interests.

What were the conditions like for slaves in Saint-Domingue before the revolution?

Slaves in Saint-Domingue endured brutal conditions, often dying within three years due to overwork, disease, and harsh punishment. The grand blancs used methods of slow torture and were indifferent to yellow fever, which ravaged the slave population. Slaves were the backbone of the colony's lucrative sugar and coffee industries.

What was the reaction of the French revolutionary government to the Haitian Revolution?

The French revolutionary government initially revoked the rights granted to freed people of color, which fueled unrest. However, in response to the growing rebellion and foreign threats, the Civil Commissioner, Sonthonax, abolished slavery in Saint-Domingue in 1793, a decision later endorsed by the French National Assembly in 1794.

Why did the British intervention in the Haitian Revolution fail?

The British intervention in Saint-Domingue failed due to a combination of factors, including the harsh tropical environment, the high death toll from yellow fever, and the strength of the Haitian resistance. The British fought for five years but ultimately withdrew after suffering enormous casualties and financial losses.

What was the economic importance of Saint-Domingue to France before the revolution?

Before the revolution, Saint-Domingue was France's most prosperous colony, producing 60% of the world's coffee and 40% of France and Britain's sugar. The colony's economy was heavily dependent on slave labor, making it one of the richest territories in the French Empire and a crucial part of the transatlantic slave trade.

Outlines

00:00

🌍 Introduction to the Haitian Revolution and Its Global Significance

The video introduces the Haitian Revolution, emphasizing its historical significance in ending slavery, colonialism, and imperialism. Haiti became the first independent nation in Latin America, the first to abolish slavery permanently, and the only state founded by slaves. The revolution, led by slaves, started as a response to the horrors of slavery. The narrative highlights Haiti's colonial history under Spain and France, its economic exploitation through sugar plantations, and the brutal treatment of African slaves. The revolution marks a turning point, where the oppressed took control of their destiny.

05:01

⚔️ The Beginning of the Slave Revolt and the Role of Vodou

On August 21, 1791, a vodou ceremony led by Dutty Boukman ignited the Haitian slave rebellion. Slaves, despite their diverse backgrounds, united through common cultural heritage, using machetes to attack their masters and burn plantations. The rebellion was unexpectedly successful, with the slaves taking control of the Northern Province within days. Brutal fighting ensued, as both sides targeted civilians. Amid this chaos, affranchis (free mixed-race individuals) aligned with the rebellion, further escalating the conflict. Toussaint Louverture, a former slave owner, emerged as a leader after Boukman’s death and began negotiating with the colonial government.

10:04

🌪️ Foreign Intervention and Toussaint's Leadership

Toussaint Louverture played a critical role in the Haitian Revolution, leading the rebels after Boukman's death. While negotiations with the colonial government failed, foreign powers intervened. Spain and Britain sought to exploit the situation, offering support to different factions. Toussaint aligned with Spain briefly, only to later rejoin France when the revolutionary government abolished slavery in 1793. Despite British efforts to suppress the rebellion, including a costly military campaign, Toussaint’s leadership forced their retreat. By 1798, the revolution had succeeded in ending slavery, but Toussaint’s quest for power was far from over, with new enemies emerging.

🎮 Promotion of Nebula and CuriosityStream

The creator promotes his content on Nebula, highlighting ad-free videos and exclusive content related to history and video games. The partnership with CuriosityStream offers access to thousands of documentaries on various subjects, including a recommendation for a series on the French Revolution. Viewers are encouraged to subscribe to CuriosityStream, with a discount for an annual plan, supporting independent creators while gaining access to high-quality documentaries.

❓ Q&A and Closing Remarks

In a light-hearted Q&A, the creator answers viewer questions, sharing personal preferences like Colorado for its climate and lifestyle, and expressing amusement at New Zealand’s comparison to Australia. He humorously mentions shopping at local stores, dismisses repetitive topic requests, and thanks his patrons for their support. The video concludes with a promise of a part two, teasing future content on the Haitian Revolution and other topics.

Keywords

💡Haitian Revolution

The Haitian Revolution was a successful anti-slavery and anti-colonial uprising by enslaved Africans against French colonial rule in Saint-Domingue, now Haiti. It began in 1791 and led to the creation of the first independent nation in Latin America, as well as the first republic founded by formerly enslaved people. In the video, this revolution is portrayed as a groundbreaking moment in history, preceding the abolition of slavery in other parts of the world.

💡Saint-Domingue

Saint-Domingue was the French colony on the western part of the island of Hispaniola, which is modern-day Haiti. It was one of the most prosperous colonies in the world, known for producing sugar, coffee, and indigo through the labor of enslaved Africans. The video describes the brutal conditions in the colony and the role it played in sparking the Haitian Revolution.

💡Slavery

Slavery was the forced labor system used extensively in Saint-Domingue, where enslaved Africans were subjected to inhumane treatment on plantations. The majority of the population in the colony were enslaved, and they faced brutal conditions, with many dying within a few years of their arrival. The Haitian Revolution began as a slave insurrection, making it a pivotal moment in the global movement to abolish slavery.

💡Toussaint Louverture

Toussaint Louverture was a former slave and a key leader in the Haitian Revolution. He initially owned slaves himself but joined the rebellion and later became its most prominent figure. His leadership was instrumental in organizing the revolution and negotiating with both colonial powers and foreign nations. In the video, Louverture's role is emphasized as a unifying force among the rebels and a strategist in the revolution's success.

💡Grand blancs

The grand blancs were the wealthy white landowners in Saint-Domingue who controlled large plantations and enslaved Africans. They benefited the most from the colony’s wealth and were responsible for the harsh treatment of the enslaved population. The video highlights the grand blancs as a key group in the social hierarchy of the colony, whose interests were threatened by the revolution.

💡Affranchis

Affranchis were free people of color, often of mixed European and African descent, in Saint-Domingue. Some were former slaves, while others were born free. Many affranchis owned land and even slaves, and they aspired to social equality with the grand blancs. The video discusses their role in the early stages of the revolution, where they petitioned for more rights but later aligned with the slave rebellion when their demands were ignored.

💡Vodou ceremony

Vodou is a religion that blends West African, Caribbean, and Catholic elements. A secret Vodou ceremony in 1791, led by the priest Dutty Boukman, is depicted in the video as the symbolic starting point of the Haitian Revolution. It served as a unifying moment for the enslaved Africans, many of whom shared a cultural heritage rooted in West Africa, and it marked the beginning of their organized rebellion.

💡French Revolution

The French Revolution, which began in 1789, was a period of radical social and political change in France, where the monarchy was overthrown, and ideals of liberty, equality, and fraternity were promoted. The video links the French Revolution to the Haitian Revolution by explaining how the Declaration of the Rights of Man influenced the affranchis and the broader fight for equality in Saint-Domingue. However, the ambiguity of whether these rights extended to the colonies became a point of tension.

💡Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen

The Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen was a fundamental document of the French Revolution that proclaimed all men to be free and equal. However, it was unclear whether these rights applied to enslaved people or colonized populations. In the video, this declaration is shown to have inspired the affranchis to demand more rights, but the lack of clarity ultimately contributed to the growing unrest in Saint-Domingue.

💡Yellow fever

Yellow fever is a deadly viral disease that was widespread in the Caribbean during the time of the Haitian Revolution. In the video, yellow fever is mentioned as a major factor in the conflict, particularly in the decimation of European forces, including the British, who suffered heavy losses from the disease during their intervention in Saint-Domingue. The disease helped the revolutionaries gain an advantage over foreign invaders.

Highlights

CuriosityStream and Nebula sponsor the video, offering exclusive content.

The Haitian Revolution tore down slavery, empires, and colonialism before these ideas were widespread.

Haiti became the first independent nation of Latin America, and the only state founded by slaves.

The Haitian Revolution started as a slave insurrection led and fought by slaves.

Haiti was originally populated by the Taino people before Spanish colonization decimated them through disease, slavery, and massacre.

The French colony of Saint-Domingue became one of the most prosperous in the world, with 500,000 of its 550,000 population being slaves.

Slavery on the island was brutal, with many slaves dying within three years and subjected to torture, disease, and unending labor.

The Declaration of the Rights of Man in 1789 sparked aspirations for equality among the affranchis (freed slaves and mixed-race people).

In 1791, the Haitian Revolution officially began after a secret vodou ceremony led by Dutty Boukman.

The slaves’ initial uprising shocked everyone, leading to widespread destruction and the capture of the Northern Province.

Toussaint Louverture, a former slave and plantation owner, emerged as a leader in the rebellion.

By 1793, foreign powers such as Spain and Britain sought to intervene and claim Saint-Domingue for themselves.

In 1794, the French National Assembly abolished slavery in France and its colonies, helping turn the tide of the revolution.

Toussaint Louverture switched sides and rejoined the French, successfully expelling the British and Spanish forces.

Despite abolishing slavery, Toussaint Louverture’s ambitions continued, and more challenges awaited the fledgling Haitian state.

Transcripts

This video has been brought  to you by Curiositystream  

and Nebula - featuring exclusive  content from me! More at the end.

Bonjour et bienvenue au Feature  

History where on top of our  figurative butchering of French  

we’ll be featuring literal butchering  of French. Who wrote this shit? I did.

We’ll be using today to take a look at  the often overshadowed Haitian Revolution.  

Given the generic title it’s easy to assume  that this was just one of them wars in one of  

them countries - but what if I told you that  the Haitian Revolution tore down slavery,  

and empires, and colonialism -  before all that was in vogue.  

Haiti would become the first independent nation of  Latin America, the second republic of America, the  

first to permanently abolish slavery in the world  and the only state in history founded by slaves.

That’s what really makes this revolution  stand out is the fact that it all started  

as a slave insurrection, it was  led by slaves and fought by slaves.  

In response to humanity’s greatest  atrocity Haitians took the reins of history  

and changed the world, and well,  I’m gonna try to tell you about it.

So clear the distractions, close your  eyes - don’t actually this took forever  

to animate - and picture the island of Haiti,  Santo Domingo, Hispaniola, the Spanish Island,  

the Pearl of the Caribbean - it’s gone by  a lot of names. It’s the 2nd largest island  

of the West Indies and it would be the  first colonised by Christopher Columbus.

Originally populated by the Taino people,  after the island was settled in 1493 by  

the Spanish the indigenous people were  systematically killed through disease,  

slavery, and massacre. Haiti was  seized for its gold deposits,  

and once exhausted many left the island, and it  became home to French, English, and Dutch pirates.

It wasn’t until the late 17th century that  France officially laid claim to the western  

third of the island, establishing  their colony of Saint-Domingue.  

It wasn’t long before its value was found in  coffee, indigo, and infamously, sugar. The French  

landowners, the grand blancs, established large  plantations and imported slaves from West Africa.

The colony would go on to produce 60% of the  world’s coffee, 40% of France and Britain’s sugar,  

and would be the most prosperous colony in  the West Indies, and the French Empire as a  

whole. The colony grew to a population of 550  odd thousand people - 500,000 being slaves.

In all of Saint-Domingue’s history  the majority of its population  

was African-born. It was rare a slave would live  past 3 years on the island. Those who were able  

to survive the middle passage were subjected to  cruel and unending work on the sugar plantations.  

The grand blanc practiced in methods of slow  torture, the importation of man eating dogs,  

and apathy to the Yellow fever that  ravaged much of their workforce.

Outside of the grand blanc and their slaves  the island was home to European artisans,  

merchants, and workers who often  held animosity to the minority of  

freed slaves and mixed-race  mulattoes - the affranchis.

The colony was starved of European women, and  so the practice of taking slave wives wasn’t  

uncommon, and the resulting children were  emancipated. Add in the few freed slaves,  

and you have the affranchis. Some affranchis  owned their own plantations and their own slaves,  

and aspired to be equal to  their white counterparts.

However the society was  built on inequality in race,  

gender, and class. The colony wasn’t  self-sufficient; the majority of its crop  

exported, and the majority of its  food imported. With a population  

of 90% African slaves, responsible for a  third of the entire Atlantic slave trade,  

the foundation of Saint-Domingue was the suffering  of the majority for the welfare of the minority.

It worked well, for the grand blanc, for over  a hundred years. It all changed however in 1789  

with the Declaration of the  Rights of Man and of Citizen.  

The newly established French First Republic would  decree all men free and equal - ambiguous as  

to whether that included women, slaves,  or even anybody outside France proper.

The affranchis had long been pushing for their  own equality, and after the declaration Vincent  

Oge would launch a failed uprising against the  colonial government for the right to vote. With  

his brutal execution the affranchis would turn to  petitioning the revolutionary government in Paris.  

In 1791 they were awarded limited  freedoms in the May 15th Decree,  

however the colonial government  never complied with this order.

As a consequence isolated skirmishes  broke out between affranchis and whites,  

sowing the seeds of insurrection in St. Domingue.

On the night of the 21st of August 1791 thousands  of slaves would gather in a secret vodou ceremony.  

Despite their disparate backgrounds many  of these slaves had been prisoners of war,  

and the loose West African elements of vodou  served as a common heritage for these people.

The vodou high priest, Dutty Boukman,  would give the signal for rebellion  

that night. The island was shrouded in a deep  darkness under the clouds of a tropical storm,  

and the slaves would take their machetes  that they used to cut the sugar cane  

to cut down their masters and light  up the night with burning plantations.

The initial uprising was an unprecedented  success. Their organisation begged disbelief,  

the affranchis would be blamed, the affranchis  would blame the grand blancs - nobody believed the  

slaves could do this themselves. In just 10 days  the slaves held control of the Northern Province.

The fighting was brutal, there was no semblance of  honour as on both sides civilians were targeted,  

captives executed, and heads rolled. It  wasn’t long before the white population  

had retreated to the urban centres  and left the mountains to the rebels.

The National Assembly in Paris would respond  in September by revoking the May 15th decree,  

which only incentivised the affranchis to align  themselves with the slave rebellion and bring  

the fight to the cities. Soon enough the capital  of Port-au-Prince (Por-o-prance) was in flames.

Former slave, affranchis, and educated  individual Toussaint Louverture would be  

a part of this. He’d separate himself from  his family and his plantations to join the  

rebellion. Despite being a slave owner, he sought  to establish himself as a leader for the rebels.

With the death of Boukman in November,  Toussaint would naturally fill his role.  

Toussaint opened negotiations with the colonial  government, offering peace in return for the  

freedom of the rebellion’s leadership and  the end of lashings on the plantations.  

It’s dubious whether or not he’d actually  be able to convince the slaves to return  

to the plantations, but regardless, the colonial  government rejected the best deal they’d ever get.

It was at this time the proverbial sharks had  smelt blood in the water and foreign powers  

looked to intervene. The Spanish would offer  aid to the revolt, supplying arms and even  

recruiting their leadership into the Spanish  Army in February of 1793. The promise was the  

abolishment of slavery in St. Domingue in return  for France’s share of the pearl of the caribbean.

The grand blancs themselves held little  faith in France’s revolutionary government,  

and they would turn and invite the British  to claim St Domingue. The empire had its  

own interest in containing this rebellion  before it spread, and the free colony was  

just the cherry on top. The British would begin an  expedition of her navy and soldiers to the island.

The National Assembly knew they would need to  make radical changes to avoid military disaster.  

The Civil Commissioner of St Domingue,  Leger-Felicite Sonthonax , would abolish  

slavery in the colony in August of 1793.  He’d secure the endorsement of the National  

Assembly in February of the following year,  and slavery would be abolished in France and  

all her territories. A revolutionary  move by the revolutionary government.

At this time Spain and Britain were allies against  France, they promised conflicting futures for St  

Domingue and so Toussaint and others would  defect from the Spanish Army and rejoin the  

French in May. Toussaint expelled his former  Spanish allies, and for the British expedition,  

their largest ever, it would cost  their treasury four million pounds  

and leave 100,000 men dead or permanently  disabled from the effects of yellow fever.

The British fought from 1793 to 1798 - St  Domingue became infamous among British ranks  

and deployment there was often protested. The  British had captured Port-au-Prince in June of  

1794, but in April of 1798 Toussaint would secure  

a treaty that saw the British return the  city to French rule and leave the colony.

The slave rebellion in St. Domingue had  been a success. The people were freed,  

but the war was far from over. Though slavery  had been abolished Toussaint’s quest for power  

had yet to end and his enemies would  only continue to amass against him.

The initial slave insurrection was only  the first part of the Haitian Revolution  

and only the beginning of Haiti’s history.

And this is also only the  beginning of content from me  

because over on Nebula you can go over  and watch my exclusive 16 minute video  

going into the history of Assassin’s Creed 2  and doing my thing where I’m very pedantic,  

you love that shit. Me and other creators  such as City Beautiful, Real Life Lore,  

Tier Zoo, and a whole lot of other people are  creating content that we couldn’t do on Youtube.  

Such as featuring our video libraries ad-free  and creating exclusive originals for the service.

I plan on doing a whole lot more videos going  over history in video games for the platform,  

and this has all been made possible thanks  to Nebula’s partnership with Curiositystream.

There are thousands of documentaries on  Curiositystream covering history, science,  

nature, technology, society, and why yes, 19th  century revolutions. I can recommend their 2 part  

series covering the French Revolution, it’s called  the French Revolution so I trust you’ll find it.

For a limited time Curiositystream is offering 26%  

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Please, pretty please.

So before we finally wrap up this  video I thought it’d be a fun  

idea to take some questions from you, the  viewers - let’s see how much I regret this.

Some Guy asks “What’s your favourite  state in the United States?”

Well, I’ve never been there,  but you can smoke doinks in  

Colorado and it doesn’t get over 40  degrees so that sounds pretty good.

Yyy aaa asks “Is NZ Australia’s waifu?”

Well it has a better government and they talk  very adorably, so I’d say yes, absolutely.

Cheers.com.au asks “Coles or woolies?”

Who do you take me for mate?  Fucking local IGA mate, every day.

And to everyone that asked when I’m going to  cover a topic as their question, I hate you all.

And with that thanks to the patrons,  you boys always been there for me,  

that’s pretty ripper. Um and yeah, there will  be a part 2 at some point in the future, it’d be  

weird if it was in the past, the topic is, but the  video won’t be, it’ll be in the future. Okay bye.