lesson 14 reading and writing

7/27/2019 Lesson 14 Reading and Writing

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The Slave Who Defeated Napoleon

Napoleon was one of the greatest generals who ever lived. But at the end of the 18th

century, a self-educated slave with no military training drove Napoleon out of Haiti andled his country to independence. The remarkable leader of this slave revolt was Toussaint

Breda (later called Toussaint L'Ouverture). Slave revolts from this time normally endedin executions and failure this story is the exception.

It began in 1791 in the French colony of Saint Dominique (later Haiti). Though born a

slave in Saint Dominique, Toussaint learned of Africa from his father, who had beenborn a free man there. He learned that he was more than a slave, that he was a man with

brains and dignity (self-respect). He was fortunate in having a master who had him

trained as a house servant and allowed him to learn to read and write. Toussaint took fulladvantage of this, reading every book he could get his hands on, such as heroic stories of

Cesar, Alexander, and Joan of Arc. He particularly admired the writings of the

enlightenment philosophers, who spoke of individual rights and equality.

1. How did Toussaints background and education help him prepare to lead the slaves?

How was he different from other slaves?

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In 1789, the French Revolution rocked France. The sugarplantations (large farms) of

Saint Dominique, though far away, would be affected. Slaves were crucial to Saint

Dominiques success. Slaves worked

plantations and supplied much of the labor

force in the colony. All the food produced and

items manufactured by the slaves were sent

back to France to be sold. The Frenchgovernment would keep the money earned,

and would even force the Haitians to purchase

their own products back. Influenced by such

Enlightenment thinkers as Jean-JacquesRousseau and John Locke, the early

revolutionaries considered seriously thequestion of slavery. By the end of 1790,


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nearly 60% of the island was comprised of slaves. Slaves on the island were forced to

work an average of twelve hours a day, with no pay and only one meal provided

throughout the day. In most cases, over ten slaves lived in a single room household.

In 1791, mass slave revolts in Saint Dominique occurred

and Toussaint became the leader of the slave rebellion.He became known as Toussaint L'Ouverture (the onewho finds an opening) and brilliantly led his rag-tagslave army. Toussaint felt this was the time to rebel, as

the French government was busy in France putting downthe peasant revolution. He successfully fought the

French, who were falling ill to yellow fever in large

numbers. Toussaintproved to be a brilliant general,winning 7 battles in 7 days. In 1798, the French

government agreed to a truce (peace agreement) with

Toussaint and his slave army. The French agreed to free

all slaves in the colony and grant them theirnaturalrights, as along as the people promised to keep Saint

Dominique as a colony of France.

The peace was short-lived however. By 1803 Napoleonwas ready to get Haiti off his back and he and Toussaint agreed to a new terms of peace.

Napoleon agreed to recognize Haitian independence ifToussaint agreed to retire from

public life. A few months later, the French invited Toussaint to come to a negotiatingmeeting. When he arrived, the French (at Napoleon's orders) betrayed Toussaint and

arrested him, putting him on a ship headed for France. Napoleon ordered that Toussaint

be placed in a prison dungeon in the mountains, and murdered by means of cold,

starvation, and neglect. Toussaint died in prison, but others carried on the fight forfreedom after his death.

Six months later, Napoleon decided to give up his possessions in the New World. Hewas busy in Europe and these far-away possessions (lands) were more trouble than they

were worth. He abandoned Haiti to independence in 1804.

2. In 1803, why do you think Napoleon tricked Toussaint and ended up killing him?What do you think he hoped for by killing Toussaint?

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Part 2 Choose the best multiple-choice answer for each of the questions below.

1) One way in which Toussaint LOuverture and Simon Bolivar have in common is that

each leader

A) embraced the principles of civil disobedienceB) fought to free his country from European controlC) established the first democratic government in his country

D) opposed the role of the Roman Catholic Church

2) In the 19th century, the independence movements in Latin America were greatly

influenced by the

A) Hundred Years War

B) Glorious Revolution

C) French Revolution

D) Boer War

3) View the following headlines:

1) Ideas from the American Revolution spread2) Enslaved persons burned sugar fields and rebelled against French slave owners

3)) Toussaint LOuverture organized rebels

A title for all these headings would be

A) Causes of Bismarcks rise to power

B) Situations contributing to Zionist movementsC) Results of the Munich Pact

D) Factors of the Haitian Revolution

Part 3- Choose ONE QUESTION to answer in a response of at least SEVENSENTENCES.

1. Why are the events that took place between 1791-1804 in Saint Dominique (Haiti)

considered to be a revolution? What makes it a revolution? Be very specific. Think about

the big changes and discuss these changes, as long as the causes and effects.

Or

2. Compare the Haitian Revolution to another revolution we studied. How are these

revolutions similar and how are they different? Think about the causes of the revolution

and the effects of the revolution.

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lesson 14 reading and writing

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