Causes of the Movements
There were many causes as to why the American and Haitian Revolution occurred. The Haitian revolution was caused as a result of an uprising of slaves against their wealthy landowners. It was a result of legislation passed that basically gave blacks no rights in Haiti. Vincent Oge was a free black slave who started the French Constituent Assembly which was to give free black slaves the opportunity to vote and have rights. He was rejected and then led a brief insurgency in Haiti that resulted in his capture and execution. This led to up rise and tensions to grow even tenser as this was yet another factor that compelled a rebellion in the August of 1791. Disdain between the black slaves and the French continued to rise until on August 21, 1791 slaves from Saint Domingue revolted against their landowners and sent the colony into a state of rebellion and civil war. Similarly we can see how the people of America were oppressed and then compelled to revolt against their superior. The colonists were not being worked as slaves but rather were being affected financially heavily as Britain was trying to cover its cost for the French and Indian War by heavily taxing the colonies. Britain gradually started posting Acts which imposed ridiculously high taxes on the colonies. They included the Stamp Act, Navigation Acts, Intolerable Acts, Quartering Act and the Declaratory Act. All of which angered the colonists more and more to the point of which they started to show signs of rebellion. Their first sign of rebellion was after the Tea Act was imposed. The Sons of Liberty of group of colonist who rallied together to fight in an effort to win the war dressed up as Native Americans boarded and English vessel and dumped all the tea it had on board into Boston harbor. This resulted in the closing of Boston harbor. Another sign was when the Boston Massacre occurred. Soldiers openly fired on a group of colonist killing five. This enraged colonist leading them to believe that the British were no good and needed to be rid with. Writings of people like Thomas Paine and John Locke also helped in the efforts of gaining support and contributors. Thomas Paine’s pamphlet common sense was read every where and stated “And he hath shown himself such an inveterate enemy to liberty, and discovered such a thirst for arbitrary power, is he, or is he not, a proper person to say to these colonies, 'you shall make no laws but what I please!'" This meant that the colonists recognized Britain as being an enemy of freedom for the colonies and that they should not be making laws that the colonists do not want to have.
Outcomes of the Movements
Both revolutions were successful in permanently gaining their independence and keeping it. On January 1st 1804 Haiti was declared a free republic and the first to do so in Latin America. They had gained independence from France and gained rights for everyone including slaves so that they may live free also. In the American Revolution rights were only given to men, but that was the choice of the founding fathers and was not just an ideal being oppressed upon them. The final battle of the American Revolution was the battle of Yorktown where General Cornwallis surrendered to the Continental Army of General George Washington who went on to become the first president of the United States of America. The war was formally concluded with the signing of the Treaty of Paris which gave the colonies all land east of the Mississippi River and south of the Great Lakes, though not including Florida. The Haitian revolution greatly affected American rebellions. Many individuals from Haiti flocked to the United States and brought with them their ideas of freedom to all. These people led America to the front door of civil war as war breaks out against North and South. The French Napoleon also encountered much financial problems following the Haitian revolution. He lost his colony and now was forced to find other means of income which lead him to sell the Louisiana territory away. The French weren’t the only ones experiencing financial difficulties. Early America was experiencing war debts that were well over what they could handle. They owed about $12 million to France in money borrowed for war efforts. The national government owed the people over $40 million and the state governments owed their citizens over $25 million. In 1790 a treasury was established to help raise funds for all the debts that were being imposed and that needed to be paid off.
SUCCESS
In terms of who was successful in identifying a clear problem and overcoming it in my personal opinion I believe that the American Revolution was more successful than the Haitian Revolution. As most of the problems they had they tried to fix without war but were obligated to finally in the end declare their independence through war with Great Britain. As it is stated in the Declaration when any form of government becomes destructive or ineffective it the responsibility and duty of the people to abolish said government and establish a new form. That is exactly what they did they asserted their rights and concluded that this was the right thing to do. They proved to the world that America was capable of taking on the world’s greatest army and defeating them. Soon after garnering their independence the founding fathers of America established the law and created a system that would avoid what they had in Britain where one man had too much power. They set up a system of checks and balances and look where they are today.
Works Cited
Gerstle, Gary, Johnson, Paul E., McPherosn, James M., Murrin, John M., Rosenberg Emily S., Rosenberg, Norman L. Liberty, Equality, Power: A History of American People. Thompson Wadsworth, 2005. Textbook 25 Sept. 2011
by
rendolw (student)
