Explain how the French Revolution and the ideas of the Enlightenment contributed to the Haitian Revolution.
In an era of political and social oppression, the French people spoke out against the tyranny of the government. They fought to put an end to political corruption and demanded equal human rights. Thus, this movement helped to revolutionize the French government and bring more equality to all people. The Enlightenment ideas of liberty and progression helped to push the French Revolution and change the political and socio-economic climate of the country. Thus, the French Revolution and Enlightenment period played a major role in transforming the political structure of France, which also influenced the Haitian Revolution.

Thus, the Haitian Revolution was rooted in the ideology of the Enlightenment and French Revolution. Similar to the French, people, particularly free blacks and slaves, in Haiti struggled for equal rights and justice. They were racially oppressed and their voices were silenced by a government that restricted their rights to live as free humans. Forced to abide by unfair and unequal slave laws, such as the Code Noir, which “lies at the heart of Ghachem’s project because it articulated the legal underpinnings of Saint-Domingue’s slave regime” (Wood, 2014, p. 761). Thus, the Haitian Revolution grew from the strength from the French Revolution and the ideas of freedom and equal rights. Ultimately, the underlying ideal of the Haitian Revolution was rooted in the Enlightenment theories of liberty, progression and equal justice for all people.

Compare the goals of the five different groups in Haiti pertaining to the Revolution.
During the Haitian Revolution, different groups had distinct goals and missions. For instance, the planters mainly consisted of wealthy white men. They gained a lot of their wealth and status from the slave economy and were advocates of slavery. But they did not abide by the laws of the French government, and they wanted independence from French government in order perpetuate slavery governed by white males. Another group of whites included the merchants and artisans who less control and power than white planters. Although they were loyal to the French government, they agreed with slavery and viewed free blacks as threats to their economic stability. Thus, these groups of whites had their own motivation for supporting the Revolution.

Mulattoes made up a large portion of free blacks and the other half consisted of former black slaves who purchased their freedom. Although many free blacks owned lands and had wealth, they were still treated unfairly by French government. Thus, they wanted freedom of Saint-Domingue to have equal rights as citizens. The slaves were at the bottom of the socio-economic ladder, and they were denied freedom and any rights. Thus, the Revolution gave them hope for freedom and an equal opportunity to own property, provide for their families and be treated like humans. The other group were Maroons, run-away slaves who rebelled against the strict regime. Thus, they joined the Revolution to ensure their freedom and prevent any chance of being sold back into slavery.

Analyze the success, impact, and legacy of the Haitian Revolution.
The Haitian Revolution was a successful slave insurrection which ultimately led to the freedom of black slaves and the independence of Haiti. The revolution helped to bring about change in the political climate in Haiti and removed restrictions that denied slaves the right to equal rights. The socio-economic hierarchy changed as a result of the Revolution and blacks received their freedom. Also, the Haitian revolution impacted the social and political structure in America, helping to lead to an end to the slave trade.

Above all, Haiti will always be remembered for being the first independent black governed nation, which is the highlight of its legacy. It also had a significant impact on restructuring the political regime of Latin America. According to Kaisary (2012), the Haitian revolution ultimately led to a “construction of a society without slavery, one of universal and unqualified human right to freedom, properly stands out as Haiti’s unique contribution to humanity” (p. 199). Essentially, the Haitian Revolution, rooted in the Enlightenment ideals, reshaped political views about human rights, freedom and equality, and it illustrated the power of persistence and determination in effecting change.

• Kaisary, P. (2012). Human Rights and Radical Universalism: Aimé Césaire’s and CLR James’s Representations of the Haitian Revolution. Law and Humanities 6(2), 197-216. DOI: 10.5235/L&H.6.2.197.
• Matikiti, R. (2008). Religious freedom and the age of the Enlightenment: The case of the French Revolution. Studia Historiae Ecclesiasticae. 34(1), 1-11. Retrieved from http://eds.b.ebscohost.com.proxy-library.ashford.edu/
• Wood, L.M. (2014). Across oceans and revolutions: Law and slavery in French Saint-Domingue and beyond. Law & Social Inquiry, 39(3), 758-782. Retrieved from http://eds.b.ebscohost.com.proxy-library.ashford.edu/