Haitian Revolution Role

Play Scenarios

1801 - Touissant Louverture’s

Constitution

Touissant Louverture creates a new constitution for

Haiti that abolishes slavery and gives all citizens

equal rights. It also outlaws Vodou (the religion

practiced by the majority of people).

The constitution also does not declare Saint

Domingue independent of France, but claims all

people living there are French citizens, and makes

Louverture their leader for life. By doing this

some of the benefits of being a colony are

preserved but the people have more rights and

freedoms.

Questions to Answer

1. Should the constitution be changed or stay

the way it is? a. If it should change, how should it be changed?

1. How will the people of Saint Domingue

react to the constitution?

1. How will France react to the constitution?

What Actually Happened? (Part 1)

The people of Saint

Domingue were furious

about the new

constitution and saw it as

another form of slavery.

In October 1801 they began

to rebel against

Louverture and accused

him of exploiting people

for France.

What Actually Happened? (Part 2)

Louverture was able to stop

people from rebelling, but

they were still angry with

him.

In France, Napoleon was

furious that the

constitution had gone too

far and gave Saint

Domingue too much power.

He sends troops to invade

Saint Domingue.

1802 - War for Independence

The French have invaded Saint Domingue.

Since Louverture convinced many people

they were French citizens, about half his

army began fighting for the French. A lot

of the people didn’t know that the goal of

French was to put slavery back into place,

they are just angry about Louverture’s

constitution.

Questions to Answer

You are a wealthy land owning former slave.

You are aware of Napoleon’s plans for Saint

Domingue.

How will you convince people that fighting for

the French is not in Saint Domingue’s best

interest?

What will you advise Louverture to do?

What actually happened? (Part 1)

Dessalines & the new

flag

One of Louverture’s top

generals joined the

French army, and

shortly after that

Dessalines, Louverture’s

top official joined the

French.

Louverture is tricked into

attending a meeting

and is captured.

What actually happened? (Part 2)

Despite capturing

Louverture and all the

people who joined the

French army,

Napoleon seriously

underestimated how

tough it would be to

take Saint Domingue

and the struggle

continued.

1802 - 1803 War of Independence

Continues (Part 1)

Despite Louverture’s capture groups of

maroons and others who opposed the French

continued to fight for independence. They

want to completely abolish slavery and the

colonial system.

Meanwhile the French have reinstated slavery

in the surrounding colonies. They assure the

people of Saint Domingue if they stop

fighting and make peace that they will not

restore slavery.

Questions to Answer

1. Without Louverture or a clear leader

fighting against the French is tough. Should

you make peace with the French? a. If you choose not to make peace with the French

what tactics will you use to continue your fight?

b. If you choose to make peace with the French how

can you ensure that the French will not make you a

slave colony again?

What actually happened? (Part 1)

The people decided to

resist the French and

keep fighting. Almost

the entire population

of Saint Domingue

fought together.

Those who joined the

French from

Louverture’s troops

rejoined the people of

Saint Domingue.

What actually happened? (Part 2)

In response the

French ramped up

their campaign to

take Saint

Domingue.

They brutally

executed people

who fought against

them publicly to try

and discourage the

independence

movement.

1802 - 1803 War of Independence

Continues (Part 2)

With Louverture’s men now on the side of the

people of Saint Domingue they are able to

put up a stronger resistance against France.

Dessalines is now leading the people of Saint

Domingue and wants to use a scorched earth

policy to get rid of the French.

Questions to Answer

1. Should the scorched earth policy (burning

down everything so the enemy can’t have

access to it) be used against the French? a. If you use the scorched earth policy how will the

island recover after the French are defeated?

b. If you do not use the scorched earth policy what

tactic should you use?

2. At this point would it be wise to try and get

the French to admit defeat and create a

peace treaty to preserve what little

relationship may remain?

What actually happened? (Part 1)

The scorched earth

policy was used

against the French.

This was the final blow

for the French and

they were defeated.

Napoleon pulled all his

troops out of the

western hemisphere.

What actually happened? (Part 2)

Dessalines proclaimed

Haiti to be the first

independent nation

of former slaves and

created a Declaration

of Independence that

abolished slavery.

The name was changed

from Saint Domingue

to the original Taino

name of “Hayti”

1804 - After the Revolution

After the revolution Dessalines crowns himself

emperor of Haiti. His constitution abolishes

slavery and gives natural rights to the

people. White foreigners are not permitted

to own land in Haiti.

However, many European countries are fearful

of what happened in Haiti. They refuse to

trade with Haiti and there is fear that a

European country could try to invade them

again.

Questions to Answer

1. Should the constitution and laws of Haiti

stand the way they are? If foreign white

ownership of land was allowed would that

improve international relations?

1. What can the people of Haiti do to stop the

Europeans anger a them and prevent the

possibility of another invasion?

What actually happened? (Part 1)

European countries did

not invade Haiti, but

they refused to trade

with Haiti at all.

Dessalines scorched

earth policy had

destroyed much of the

farming and the tools

needed on the island.

What actually happened? (Part 2)

France refused to recognize Haiti’s

independence and Haiti was forced to pay

“damages” to the French.

The French forced Haiti into a special trade

relationship with them that hurt Haiti

economically.

This debt and the negative trading

relationship with European countries &

America had a long-term impact on Haiti.

They didn’t pay off all debts until 1947.

Legacy of the Haitian Revolution

● Although there was fear of more slave revolts,

no more happened - slavery continued in the

US and other surrounding colonies.

● Haiti’s successful revolution forced many

Americans and Europeans to confront their

racist beliefs.

● Louverture’s 1801 constitution was the first

ever to protect the rights of all people.

● Haiti’s poverty and struggles today can be

traced directly to the revolution and other

countries trying to isolate Haiti.