By: Katherine SantanaRevolutions are a time of change, in which the people find themselves fed up with the existing system due to corruption and unjust actions. This is also a complex time, in which tension between the people and the government soar to new heights. In mark of the 100th year since the Russian Revolution, we will go back in time to the Haitian and American Revolutions. These revolutions, just like many others, have sparked immense change and show just how powerful people can be when coming together. The Haitian Revolution (1971-1803), was considered to be one of the most largest and successful slave rebellion. At the time, Haiti was called St. Domingue and was one of the most wealthiest overseas colonies that the French controlled. Their wealth was solely constructed by the production of sugar, cotton, indigo and coffee created by slave labor. Haiti was broken up into four groups, white planters & petit blancs, slaves, runaway slaves and those who were free. Those of African descent who were slaves, became fed up of the cruel and unsafe conditions that were being endured. Inspired by the events in France, slaves came together in a series of revolutionary movements. Led by Toussaint Louverture a former slave, he attempted to negotiate with the French but was imprisoned. Napoleon intended to bring back slavery to Haiti, however, Jean-Jacques Dessalines and Henry Christophe took over and led an army against the French. They succeeded, and by 1804, Haiti was declared independent. The American Revolution (1775-1803), like the Haitian Revolution arose from tension and disagreement between the colonists and the British government. Colonists were displeased with the rise in tax for tea by the British government, they were also displeased with the fact that they had no representation in parliament. Slaves in these colonies, also saw this as an opportunity to fight for freedom. Women also saw this as a chance to gain some form of independence. The British government attempted to appease the colonists by giving them more rights. However, this was not enough. Still unhappy, the people decided to take charge. The first battle occurred in Saratoga, in which the American force led by General Horatio Gates won against the British. This battle would then be followed up by a larger one located in the South. Led by Nathanael Green, American forces were able to score another victory against the British. Peace treaties were signed, which marked the end of the American Revolution as well as independence. I chose the American Revolution and the Haitian Revolution for several reasons. The first is that they share several similarities which we see in other revolutions around the world. However, they also share some differences in terms of what is prioritized as more important. The main similarity between the two, is the fight for independence which I think is crucial. Both the American Revolution and Haitian Revolution strived for independence as they were not getting any benefits from the system. In Haiti, colonists did not have representation in the French government. For the colonists in the Americas, colonists did not have representation in parliament. We also see, how the government tries to appease the people in both, however that wasn’t enough. The next similarity is fighting for rights, which contributes to the idea of independence. Colonists in both the American Revolution and the Haitian revolution, felt that their rights were diminished. Since both had no representation in government, this meant that the colonists had no voice in deciding anything. They had to put up with what the government imposed on them. The idea of fighting for ones rights, is also crucial because it is here that we see people uniting to establish a better future. Racial tension is also another similarity in both revolutions. We see racial tension between slaves and whites, as slaves fight for freedom and independence. However, while race is also another crucial factor to both of these revolutions, there is also a major differences. While the Haitian Revolution and American Revolution share several similarities, there are also differences. The differences stems from what is considered to be more of a priority. The first difference is what sparked the revolution in the first place. In the Haitian Revolution, change was sparked by unfair and unequal treatment of slaves and the gaps between statuses. In the American Revolution, change was sparked by unfair taxation by the British. The Haitian Revolution was inspired by the idea of “Rights of Man”, which contained the notion that all men are equal and free. The idea was inspired by the series of events in France. The American Revolution was inspired by the idea of “Natural Rights”, which was about freedom, equality and pursuit of happiness. Another difference between both revolutions, are the methods used to acquire change. For the American Revolution, terrorism was used as a method of fighting back the government. Whereas, in the Haitian Revolution, civil disobedience was the primary method of fighting back the government. For both revolutions, we see what is prioritized first. For the Haitian Revolution for example, the main priority was freedom of slaves. In the American Revolution, the priority was unfair taxation and unfair rules imposed by the government. While both revolutions did fight for the freedom of slaves, the Haitian Revolution takes the topper. Roughly 90% of Haiti at the time were slaves compared to 20% in the thirteen colonies.
Both the American Revolution and the Haitian Revolution, just like every other revolutions around the world are extremely important. It demonstrates union of the people to fight for what they feel is right. I wrote about these two revolutions in particular, to show how a revolution can happen anywhere and carry the same meaning. We see how a revolution in Haiti carries the same idea of independence, freedom and equality like the revolution in the Americas. We see how no matter how far apart, a revolution speaks for change. However, at the same time while they are similar, we also see that certain aspects are prioritized more. Either way, both of these revolutions depict the sacrifice and strength of the people to make a change for the better. A change, that leads us to where we are today in this day and age.
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