Question

3. Explain the Haitian Revolution and its impact on the Americas?

4. Examine the independence movements in Latin America. Which unique factors led to their successes? Who were Simon Bolivar and Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla?

5. Did Japan experience its own Renaissance or modernization? How?

Answer 1

The Haitian Revolution took place between 1791 and 1804 and it created second independent country in America.

Haiti was a French colony known as St. Domingue and due to its profitability, came exploitation of African slaves. French revolution had a great impact on the colony. The white minority split into Royalist and Revolutionary factions and the slaves broke out a revolt in 1791. Civil commissioners were sent to the revolt leaders to convince them that the Government wanted to end slavery. Jefferson, the leader of Democratic-Republican party favoured offering limited aid to suppress the revolt.

The revolution came to North American shores as a refugee crisis. In 1793, the minorities battled for the then-capital, destroying it and many refugees settled in Baltimore, Philadelphia and New York. Refugees started to influence U.S foriegn policy and their European radicals brought political stability in France and St. Domingue, convincing many to return home.

President John Adams was resolutely anti-slavery and wishes to preserve the trade linkes with the colony. Adams decided to help L'Ouverture against his British-supported rivals, however it was complicated by Quasi war.

Under President Jefferson, U.A cut off its help to L'Ouverture and wanted to isolate Haiti fearing that the revolution would spread to it. France recognized Haitian Independence in 1825, but had to wait till 1862 for U.S to recognize it.