Comparison of the International Movements of the Haitian Revolution and American Revolution

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Williams

Comparison Paper

Independence Movements

Haitian Revolution

By: Rendol Williams

Mrs. Tirado

Irmo High School

3A History of Americas HL

Monday, September 26, 2011

Introduction        

Any historian who has studied the great revolutions of the 18th century can certainly conclude and ascertain that many similarities can be drawn between the American Revolution of 1776 and the Haitian Revolution of 1791. Likewise anyone can infer that these two revolutions truly did have many conflicting beliefs and interests that defined them, but still united them in the spirit of revolution and the need for change.  As we research these two different revolutions we gather information of all types that we can compare and contrast to get a better grasp of what actually occurred.

Background of the Movements

        The first thing that we can deduce is that each revolution was a rebellion against a foreign superpower that was across the Atlantic Ocean.  In the case of the American Revolution it was a revolt against the superpower of Great Britain. As the Haitian Revolution was an up rise against the power of France. However as you may imagine how can a colony or colonies rise up against a country to win independence? Both nations of France and Britain were greatly burdened with financial debt as a result of The French Revolution and in Britain because of the French and Indian War. The French Revolution wreaked havoc in France where many were killed even if they were just suspected of treason and now economic advancement was not occurring thus leading to massive amounts of debts and a weak economic state. Likewise in the French and Indian War the British incurred large costs for this war leaving them crippled and buried in debt.  If this handicap was not evident on both sides there might have been a strong chance that their revolutions would have been unsuccessful. It took the perfect combination to unite a colony and take on a European superpower, but in both Revolutions it is quite clear that there was a leader who rallied support and really led their colonies to Independence. George Washington in the American Revolution was the dominant figure. He was the general of the Continental army, and had total control as to how war efforts were handled. Toussaint Louverture was the leader of the rebellion in Haiti and was also a commander in the military. The role of slaves in both colonies was very important although they had no rights. They fought on whichever side offered freedom and often times were good soldiers as they were literally fighting for their lives.

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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 ...

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