Toussaint Louverture Austin Counihan
It is January 2nd, 1804, the day after Saint Domingue declared independence from France. Now called Haiti, the natives have just completed the most successful slave rebellion. Leader of the rebellion is Toussaint Louverture forced to take the leadership role that his people need. As a leader, he also fought for the slaves of Haiti and also was a military commander. For our radio show, we should use the 30 minute segment as a liberator of slaves and the 20 minute segment is about him being the ruler of st. Domingue. For the 10 minute segment, I want to use for his achievements as a military commander.
For the 30 minute time slot, we should do what Toussaint was most famous for. This was his work as a liberator of slaves. His work first started in 1791, where he would work as a doctor to the troops and commanded a small group of soldiers. (Doc A) When Haiti received its independence from France in 1801, Toussaint wrote the Saint Domingue Constitution of 1801.
In this constitution, he proclaims in article 3 that slavery is abolished and “all men are born, live and die free” Even though they were independent, they still remained a colony of France. That was the main purpose of Toussaint. Not to disband, but to ban slavery; So once slavery was abolished, Toussaint was cool with France. It was not until Napoleon came and tried to take over Haiti that Toussaint went after France. IN 1797, Toussaint wrote to the french directory. He wrote about the horrors of slavery. He said “ They bore their chains when they knew no condition of life better than that of slavery.” By this he means that the slaves in Haiti knew nothing else other than being slaves. Being a liberator of slaves was the most important part of Toussaint louverture's most important role and deserves the 30 minute time slot.
For the 20 minute time slot, Toussaint Louverture's work as the ruler of Saint Domingue should be on that slot. Although it is not Toussaint’s best work, it is still very important. Toussaint wrote the “Constitution of 1801” when Haiti declared themselves away from France. In article 16, it says “ each cultivator and each worker is a member of the family and is entitled to a share in the revenues” (Doc C) This is Toussaints way of letting his people know that unpaid work was not going to stay, and all workers are entitled to money. It is sad to say that the rest of Toussaints work as a ruler is not as beneficial as this. On November 25, 1801, he wrote “the Proclamation”. In it he states that “ as soon as a child can walk, he should be employed on the plantation according to his strength in some useful work” . He is saying that kids should be working in the fields as soon as they can walk. In the same paper, he goes on and says that the “Vagabond cultivators arrested” which means that if a worker runs away from his work, he is arrested and tried in court. To mirror this rule he also puts a rule on it that restricts the managers of the plantations from refuging the wandering worker. (Doc D) Many natives did not like the rules Toussaint put on them so there was many revolts. His cousin, Hyacinthe Moyse, did not agree with his policies with plantations. Moyse often led the rebellions against his own cousin. One went down on October 29, 1801, which rebels, led by Moyse, were massacring whites on the island. They were chanting “ General Moyse is with us-death to all the whites” Toussaint was so mad, that when he stopped all the rebels, he ordered them all to shoot themselves. He also ordered Moyse to give the orders to fire -- on himself. (Doc E) Although this was very cruel, Toussaint thought it needed to be done. His work as the ruler of Saint Domingue deserves the 20 minute time slot.
For the final 10 minute time slot, Toussaints work as a military commander fits. In a time where France was breathing down the necks of Haiti, they needed a good war general. Toussaint started his work in the military in 1791 when he became a doctor to the troops, and got control of a small group of men. He gets the reputation of running a good camp and teaching his men guerilla warfare. In 1794 France abolished slavery so the slaves could help fight against the British. By 1798, just as he defeated the British, Toussaint became the head of Saint Domingue. He then goes on to take control of Santo Domingo, which was in control of the Spanish. When he got news that France was going to come back to Saint Domingue to reinstate slavery, Toussaint was ready. He had just cleared the land of the Spanish and British, why not the French? In 1802, Toussaint is tricked into negotiating with Napoleon and is captured and sent to a French jail. At the same time, 21,000 troops are sent to fight the people of Haiti. A total of 31,131 troops all came throughout the whole battle. When the French landed, no one was to be seen. The natives were in the forest, playing on their home ground with guerrilla warfare. After 2 years, there were only 5,000 French troops left. Napoleon took his troops back, and Haiti was free. Toussaint later died in the French prison. Toussaint’s work as a military commander is very important, but because he gets captured and is not there for the war, it deserves the 10 minute slot.
Toussaint Louverture was a man of many achievements, including his work as a liberator of slaves, Ruler of Saint Domingue, and his work as a Military Commander. His work as a liberator of slaves is his top priority because revolutionized how slave revolts occurred. Him being the ruler of Saint Domingue is second, because his work is important to Haiti history. His job of Military Commander is last only because he gets captured for the biggest moment, but still enough to talk about.
