Document Based Question - Toussaint Louverture

Toussaint Louverture was the leader of the Haitian Revolution in the 17-1800s.  Inspired by the French Revolution, he fought for abolition in what was then the French colony of Saint Domingue.  He later became the ruler of Saint Domingue and fought for independence.  Louverture was captured before Saint Domingue gained independence, and he died in a French prison.  He made some controversial decisions, but is primarily remembered as an abolitionist, a ruler, and a military commander.

When the French Revolution began in 1789, ideas like liberty and equality spread to France’s colonies.  The slaves of Saint Domingue began to revolt until the new French government abolished slavery in all of its colonies.  When France was taken over by Napoleon, he sent troops to Saint Domingue to reinstate slavery, but Toussaint and his rebel army fought Napoleon’s forces to keep their freedom.  France’s government in 1795 became more conservative than the rebellion’s government, and many feared that they would try to reinstate slavery in the French colonies.  Louverture told this new French Directory that the former slaves of Saint Domingue would willingly fight and die to keep their freedom now that they knew what freedom was like.  Louverture signed the Saint Domingue Constitution of 1801, which stated that while slavery was abolished, the economy of Saint Domingue would remain plantation-based, and that workers would now be paid and have better conditions.  

In the Saint Domingue Constitution of 1801, Toussaint Louverture was made the dictator of his colony for life.  He also decided to keep the plantation-based economic system, which led to revolts against Louverture’s new government.  In order to maintain order, Louverture felt that he had to reinstate policies very similar to those that existed before slavery was abolished.  There was no free speech, people had to have security cards on them at all times, and any workers who ran away from their plantation would be arrested.  Anyone who harboured a runaway worker would be imprisoned.  Louverture was willing to be unpopular in order to secure what he thought was right.

Part of Toussaint Louverture’s role as leader of Saint Domingue was as a military commander.  His nephew, Hyacinthe Moyse, led a revolt in the Northern Department of Saint Domingue.  He believed that the plantations should be parceled out in individual farms, and that plantation workers were free in name only.  A very violent revolt broke out, and white people were massacred in the Northern Department, which Moyse was the commanding general of.  Louverture forced some of the rebels to shoot themselves, and arrested Moyse and sentenced him to death by firing squad.  Not all of his military ventures were quite so cruel, however.  He was a good military strategist and was able to defeat Napoleon’s troops by burning the port cities where the troops landed and fleeing to the mountains where the rebels had always had the upper hand.  He also conquered the Spanish side of the island.

Althought Toussaint Louverture made some questionable moves while ruling Saint Domingue, he was primarily an abolitionist and a liberator of slaves.  He was also a military commander.  He was a great military strategist, and ruled Saint Domingue, protecting the liberty of its citizens.