Haiti Revolution
Erin McConlogue
History 304 Research Essay
29/11/12
“To What Extent Did the Haitian Revolution have on the United States Civil War?”
Wordcount
The Union victory in the United States Civil War was influential for the abolition of slavery and served as a foothold for the growth of African American equality and a global shift towards a universal standard for human rights. However, it is necessary to note what encouraged and influenced this war. The atmosphere of upholding human rights through racial equality was fought for fifty years before the Civil War during the Haitian Revolution. This revolt was specifically instrumental as it gave hope to the United States slaves and put pressure on the U.S. government to take a stance on human rights. The goal of this essay is to analyze the extent to which the Haitian Revolution influenced and encouraged the United States Civil War to acknowledge human rights. This essay will focus on the ethic atmosphere of slavery and the influence of Haiti moving this issue onto a global scale. In order to weigh the effect the Haitian Revolution had on the Civil War, it is important to first establish a fundamental understanding of their history then observe the immediate impacts and the developed ideals established over time because of the Haitian Revolution.
The Haitian Revolution was one of the most influential events regarding human rights. Prior to it’s independence, Haiti was a French colony known as St. Domingue that was run by the white supremacist, French Creoles. Fed up with years of oppression, abuse and violence, there was a massive slave revolt from 1791 to 1804. Toussaint L’Ouverture emerged as the powerful leader who fought radically for human rights and made the country the first independent black republic in the western hemisphere[1]. L’Ouverture focused on winning the political freedom of blacks by breaking free from French rule. Though seemingly not intentional, this was a “two in one” battle, as they
History 304 Research Essay
29/11/12
“To What Extent Did the Haitian Revolution have on the United States Civil War?”
Wordcount
The Union victory in the United States Civil War was influential for the abolition of slavery and served as a foothold for the growth of African American equality and a global shift towards a universal standard for human rights. However, it is necessary to note what encouraged and influenced this war. The atmosphere of upholding human rights through racial equality was fought for fifty years before the Civil War during the Haitian Revolution. This revolt was specifically instrumental as it gave hope to the United States slaves and put pressure on the U.S. government to take a stance on human rights. The goal of this essay is to analyze the extent to which the Haitian Revolution influenced and encouraged the United States Civil War to acknowledge human rights. This essay will focus on the ethic atmosphere of slavery and the influence of Haiti moving this issue onto a global scale. In order to weigh the effect the Haitian Revolution had on the Civil War, it is important to first establish a fundamental understanding of their history then observe the immediate impacts and the developed ideals established over time because of the Haitian Revolution.
The Haitian Revolution was one of the most influential events regarding human rights. Prior to it’s independence, Haiti was a French colony known as St. Domingue that was run by the white supremacist, French Creoles. Fed up with years of oppression, abuse and violence, there was a massive slave revolt from 1791 to 1804. Toussaint L’Ouverture emerged as the powerful leader who fought radically for human rights and made the country the first independent black republic in the western hemisphere[1]. L’Ouverture focused on winning the political freedom of blacks by breaking free from French rule. Though seemingly not intentional, this was a “two in one” battle, as they
Bibliography: No Author, “The United States and the Haitian Revolution, 1791-1804,” U.S Department of State: Office of the Historian, 2008, 28 Nov 2012 . Bender, Thomas. A Nation Among Nations: America 's Place in World History. (New York: Hill & Wang, 2006) 93-96. Celucien, Joseph. "The Haitian Turn: An Appraisal Of Recent Literary And Historiographical Works On The Haitian Revolution." Journal Of Pan African Studies 5.6 (2012): 37-55. Academic Search 25 Nov 2012 . Dubois, Laurent. "Toussaint Louverture And The American Civil War: The Promise And Peril Of A Second Haitian Revolution." Journal Of The Early Republic 31.4 (2011): 712-714. Academic Search 27 Nov 2012 . James, C.L.R. “The Black Jacobins: Toussaint Louverture and the San Domingo Revolution.” London. 1980. 26 Nov 2012 < http://www.ipoaa.comhaitian_revolution_forging_america.htm >. Johnson, Paul. A History of the American People (New York: Harper Perennial. 1998) 290. Knight, Franklin. "The Haitian Revolution And The Notion Of Human Rights." Journal Of The Historical Society 5.3 (2005): 391-416. Academic Search 25 Nov 2012 . Mattewson, Tim. “Jefferson and Haiti.” Journal of Southern History 61 (1995):209-248. SHA 20 Nov 2012 < http://www.jstor.org/stable/2211576 >. Newman, Simon. The Impact of the Haitian Revolution in the Atlantic World. (Columbia. South Carolina: University of South Carolina Press 2001) 261. Parham, Althia de Puech. My Odyssey, Experiences of a Young Refugee from Two Revolutions By a Creole of Saint Domingue. (Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press. 1959) 28. Zinn, Howard. A People 's History of the United States 1492-Present. (New York: Harper Perennial. 1995) 169.