◎ Slavery and abolition
In 1789, the French Revolution broke out, and after that, in August of 1793 the republican French administrator of Haiti abolished slavery. Some black revolutionary leaders chose to ally with Spain instead of French. However, in 1820, after several treaties between France and Spain, Spain was required to cede its colonies to France, including Haiti.
In 1802 Napoleon sent 16 to 20 thousand troops to take control away from Toussaint, who was the lieutenant governor of Haiti, and tried to restored slavery on the Caribbean islands. War between Britain finally made France give up using military resources to suppress the rebellion in colonies. And Haiti was in the control of the black general Jean-Jacques Dessalines. On January 1, 1804 Haiti declared independence from France. In 1805 Dessalines declared himself Emperor of Haiti. The country was broken down by years of war, its agriculture and formal commerce were devastated. In order to rebuild the country, Dessalines adopted the economic organization of serfdom.He proclaimed that every citizen would belong to one of two categories, laborer or soldier. Furthermore, he proclaimed the mastery of the state over the individual and consequently ordered that all laborers were to be bound to a plantation.
In order to avoid the appearance of slavery, however, the whip (the symbol of slavery), was abolished. Likewise, the working day was shortened by a third.Nevertheless, some turned to lianes (thick vines) to persuade to laborersto keep working. Dessalines effectively sent the Haitian people back into slavery. |
◎ Women's rights
Haitian women didn't receive their freedom of basic economic or political rights until 1830s. However, women activist helped a lot in Haitian Revolution of independence. The first recorded act was in 1792, woman leaders helped with establishment of Haiti as the first Black republic.
Recorded advocacy for women’s rights can be traced back to 1820, when a group of wealthy women changed the law that deemed all women minors. The feminist movement started in 1930s with the birth of the Feminine League for Social Action. During that period of time in Latin America, it was general that women were looked down and discriminated, they were considered" DO NOT POSSESS HONOR, BUT THEY CAN INJURE FAMILY HONOR". Women didn't have rights to vote, and usually didn't have rights to involve in political or economic actions. However, women's economic roles varied according status of her family. Women who were from wealthier families with greater prestige had more opportunities. |