Before the Revolution
What was St. Domingue's economy like before the revolution?
St. Domingue’s highly profitable colonial economy, held by their trades and plantation productions, brought wealth to France. The agriculture business was supported by slavery, which was the majority of St. Domingue, that included the sugar, cotton, indigo and coffee productions. The trading business was not only of St. Domingue’s export of agricultural products but also slave trade between France. Slaves were often bought by the wealthy white men, the white planters, of St. Domingue, free sub-Saharan Africans also owned slaves to support their plantation productions. The slave system was promulgated by Louis XIV, otherwise known as Louis the Great, in 1685; thus making Code noir, the slave code.
St. Domingue’s highly profitable colonial economy, held by their trades and plantation productions, brought wealth to France. The agriculture business was supported by slavery, which was the majority of St. Domingue, that included the sugar, cotton, indigo and coffee productions. The trading business was not only of St. Domingue’s export of agricultural products but also slave trade between France. Slaves were often bought by the wealthy white men, the white planters, of St. Domingue, free sub-Saharan Africans also owned slaves to support their plantation productions. The slave system was promulgated by Louis XIV, otherwise known as Louis the Great, in 1685; thus making Code noir, the slave code.
What was the political structure of St. Domingue before the revolution?
St. Domingue was discovered in the early 1600s when the first European settlers occupied western Hispaniola, which were former pirates and buccaneers. The Hispaniola island was not officially founded until the Louis XVI, ruler of France at the time, sent his men and a representative to colonising western Hispaniola island and naming their island ‘St. Domingue’. The political structure of St. Domingue was simple. The ruler of France, Louis XVI (ruled France from 1774 - 1792), sent a group of his men as the first settlers and representatives of France; which they took charge of St. Domingue's people and economy, including the plantations and the slave trafficking of African slaves.
St. Domingue was discovered in the early 1600s when the first European settlers occupied western Hispaniola, which were former pirates and buccaneers. The Hispaniola island was not officially founded until the Louis XVI, ruler of France at the time, sent his men and a representative to colonising western Hispaniola island and naming their island ‘St. Domingue’. The political structure of St. Domingue was simple. The ruler of France, Louis XVI (ruled France from 1774 - 1792), sent a group of his men as the first settlers and representatives of France; which they took charge of St. Domingue's people and economy, including the plantations and the slave trafficking of African slaves.
What culture/cultures did St. Domingue incorporate before the revolution?
Originally, St. Domingue was a territory of the Spanish, but owing to the low authority in the island, the land was overran by the French. At the time, the French culture dominated the island. Sub-saharan African slave trading was commonly practiced in St. Domingue and hence they were seen economically and socially the lower class of St. Domingue. The French representatives or the whites of the island were the people who were economically capable of owning slaves and had higher roles in the society, hence why they were seen as the higher class of the society. As for the free people of colour, they denied their African roots, they dressed in a French manner and were more socially accepted by the white settlers.
There is also a mixture of beliefs and religions in St. Domingue. Christianity was first introduced to St. Domingue by the first inhabitants of the island, the Spanish. Additionally, Christianity was also the dominant religion of France, henceforth brought to St. Domingue and practiced by the French settlers of St. Domingue. Whereas, the Petwo Voodoo cult was practiced among the sub-Saharan slaves and the Maroons, whom were exported by the French to St. Domingue.
Originally, St. Domingue was a territory of the Spanish, but owing to the low authority in the island, the land was overran by the French. At the time, the French culture dominated the island. Sub-saharan African slave trading was commonly practiced in St. Domingue and hence they were seen economically and socially the lower class of St. Domingue. The French representatives or the whites of the island were the people who were economically capable of owning slaves and had higher roles in the society, hence why they were seen as the higher class of the society. As for the free people of colour, they denied their African roots, they dressed in a French manner and were more socially accepted by the white settlers.
There is also a mixture of beliefs and religions in St. Domingue. Christianity was first introduced to St. Domingue by the first inhabitants of the island, the Spanish. Additionally, Christianity was also the dominant religion of France, henceforth brought to St. Domingue and practiced by the French settlers of St. Domingue. Whereas, the Petwo Voodoo cult was practiced among the sub-Saharan slaves and the Maroons, whom were exported by the French to St. Domingue.
After the Revolution
What was the economy like after the revolution?
St. Domingue’s base of wealth was in decrepitude from the outcomes of the civil war, between the sub-Saharan Africans and the whites. The agriculture productions, including sugar, coffee, spices and most of the plantations in St. Domingue have been burned and war-torn. This also resulted in total disorder of the management structure of the goods productions in St. Domingue, as the former slaves have become free peasants of Haiti. In alternative, the by-product of discontinued slave trading to Haiti caused a spike of a 90 million franc sanction (equivalent to USD$19 million) in 1838, 30% Haiti’s yearly budget went to debt. The past governors of Haiti, L'ouverture, Dessalines, Christophe and Petion, had struggled to maintain Haiti’s economy by rebuilding French plantation system, regardless failing due to disagreements of the working policy by the people of Haiti. By 1900, Haiti held loans from Germany, the US and France, increasing the amount of debt.
St. Domingue’s base of wealth was in decrepitude from the outcomes of the civil war, between the sub-Saharan Africans and the whites. The agriculture productions, including sugar, coffee, spices and most of the plantations in St. Domingue have been burned and war-torn. This also resulted in total disorder of the management structure of the goods productions in St. Domingue, as the former slaves have become free peasants of Haiti. In alternative, the by-product of discontinued slave trading to Haiti caused a spike of a 90 million franc sanction (equivalent to USD$19 million) in 1838, 30% Haiti’s yearly budget went to debt. The past governors of Haiti, L'ouverture, Dessalines, Christophe and Petion, had struggled to maintain Haiti’s economy by rebuilding French plantation system, regardless failing due to disagreements of the working policy by the people of Haiti. By 1900, Haiti held loans from Germany, the US and France, increasing the amount of debt.
What culture/cultures did Haiti incorporate after the revolution?
Christian practiced in Haiti have been reduced since the French were defeated after the revolution, however, Voodoo was still practiced even after
revolution. Voodoo is a creolised religion, brought to Haiti by the sub-Saharan African slaves. The religion descended from several African ethnic groups, including Kongo, Yoruba and Dahomean. Although, the African slaves were forbidden from practicing Voodoo, the African slaves still performed Voodoo services on weekends, which the French had misinterpreted it to be casual dancing, hence why Voodoo survived even before the revolution. Today, Voodoo still remains as the dominant religion in Haiti, with Roman Catholicism the second most believed.
After the independence of Haiti, the governors of Haiti took great precaution of who entered the island. The French were the sworn enemies of the first three governors of independent Haiti, L'ouverture, Dessalines and Christophe, whom were also previous slaves of the French. The people of Haiti also despised the French and their beliefs, for obvious reasons, enslaving their people.
In terms of language, the language spoken by the people of Haiti were French and Creole. Although, the French were wiped out from Haiti, their language was spoken by the mulattoes whom were educated by the French at the time before the revolution. Throughout the years, after the revolution, Haitians have developed a mixed dialect between French and Creole, henceforth Haitian Creole French became the language of Haiti, along side with French.
Christian practiced in Haiti have been reduced since the French were defeated after the revolution, however, Voodoo was still practiced even after
revolution. Voodoo is a creolised religion, brought to Haiti by the sub-Saharan African slaves. The religion descended from several African ethnic groups, including Kongo, Yoruba and Dahomean. Although, the African slaves were forbidden from practicing Voodoo, the African slaves still performed Voodoo services on weekends, which the French had misinterpreted it to be casual dancing, hence why Voodoo survived even before the revolution. Today, Voodoo still remains as the dominant religion in Haiti, with Roman Catholicism the second most believed.
After the independence of Haiti, the governors of Haiti took great precaution of who entered the island. The French were the sworn enemies of the first three governors of independent Haiti, L'ouverture, Dessalines and Christophe, whom were also previous slaves of the French. The people of Haiti also despised the French and their beliefs, for obvious reasons, enslaving their people.
In terms of language, the language spoken by the people of Haiti were French and Creole. Although, the French were wiped out from Haiti, their language was spoken by the mulattoes whom were educated by the French at the time before the revolution. Throughout the years, after the revolution, Haitians have developed a mixed dialect between French and Creole, henceforth Haitian Creole French became the language of Haiti, along side with French.