Week 5

The Code of Noir
I found the laws that the French Government imposed on the people, mostly the slaves, extremely ridiculous. I did not understand why they would “evict from our islands all of the Jews.” I understand that they are enemies of the Christian faith at that time but I found it quite shocking that there were that many of them to include a law like this in their new laws. I also found it interesting that they made all the slaves on the island forced to be baptized but if they died they were not buried on holy ground, just a place that was near their death site. I feel like some of these laws in the beginning of the Code of Noir were not that bad for the slaves, for instance they were to observe Sundays and holidays; so they were not allowed to work on those days. I feel like they were very precise when it came to the food rations and clothing rations. They were to get four yards of canvas, two pounds of salted beef or three pounds of fish, and cassavas. I feel like they rationed in out like this so it was fair for everyone and no one was being favored more than anyone else. Towards the end of the Code of Noir the laws start to become more unrealistic for their favor. Slaves could not meet together in fear of revolting. Also they were not allowed any rum or taffia. They were not allowed to take public offices or sell things to others. I believe that the laws about the children born to a slave mother vs. a free father was unfair in a sense that the children don’t get to pick their own path in life. Although, I can see the logic in making them stay with the mother because mothers normally take care of their young, it seems unfair because I highly doubt there were many free women on the island at this particular time.


Description …of the French Part of the Island of Saint-Domingue
I am shocked this is an encyclopedia reference source. He makes these people out to be beautiful, elegant, lazy gods. They mulattos were to be in slavery until the age of twenty-one up until the Code of Noir was established. They were intelligent, in agreeable shape, and well formed. “Dancing, riding horses, abandoning himself in sensuality” were their three passions. He makes these people out to be from both sides of the spectrum (malattos=mixed race). I found the information about the Vaudoux very thought-provoking. These people were brain washed into believing whatever the king and queen said to be legitimate, when in reality it was bologna! They could not have provided them with things such as “for more money, another for the ability to please an uninterested woman, this one to bring back an unfaithful mistress; another wants to heal quickly or to live a long life…” These seem far fetched and when the queen would respond with ways to solve these problems it was the god that spoke through her which seems like it was just a way for the king and queen to get what they want; which is also what I think they were doing with the offerings the people were supposed to give to the serpent god.

Letter to those who love mankind.
“Evils frightening silence is usually broken only by a tumultuous dash for liberty.” I think that this quote sums up all the points that Abbe Gregoire was trying to get across to people in his pamphlet. It appears that he is trying to make the point that if the white people keep treating the slaves the way they are they soon will try to rebel. If they don’t do something about it they will have a major problem on their hands. If they don’t rebel he thinks that they are going to emigrate to the neighboring Spanish territories much like other slaves because you can tell the diversity of the skin colors because they have not produced legal distinctions. He makes it a huge point that the population has doubled in eight years which is a huge threat to France.












Observation on the Origin and Progression of the White Colonists’ Prejudice against Men of Color
I found this article very interesting. It was written by someone of the Gen de Coleur. He informs us that discrimination against the mulatto people was not in existence till the third generation. The first age of settlers that existed married African women and had the first mulatto (or mixed generation children). They become attached to the African women because the women are “cared for them all the more attentively because they hoped liberty would be their reward.” The white men at this time would usually leave these children the property that they had acquired along with slaves. In the second age were free Gen de Coleur population marrying other Gen de Coleur people that allowed their population to grow. In the third generation is when prejudice started to exist. Friction between the mulattos and the whites were creating major problems. France sent over women to increase the population of white women on the island of Haiti. The white men wanted to marry the Gen de Coleur class because they had things to offer them so they could prosper such as land and slaves. The white women became very jealous that they wanted to marry the mulattos instead of them. Also they did not like the idea of the Gen de Coleur becoming richer then them. I found it interesting that in 1763, more than three hundred whites, including several gentlemen, had married girls of color. They would not allow them to hold positions in court and the education that some of them obtained was not allowed to be used for what they got it for. They refused to acknowledge the fact that some white men married African women. I thought that it seemed strange that all of a sudden with this third generation they felt like there was a threat against them, but I guess I could see where they wouldn’t want some other race to take over, especially since they were so out numbered.

History of the Revolution of Saint Domingue
I am assuming that the person who is retelling the account of the revolution was a white man because he seemed to make the slaves out to be blood thirsty savages. He describes the ritual of the black people before they went out to slaughter the white man. They took a black pig and surrounded it with objects they believed to have magical powers, that they offered as a sacrifice to the powerful spirit of the black race. Then they preceded to slit the throat of the pig and drink its blood. I found his description of their actions very disgusting. He made the white man out to be helpless. Dalma’s description of the revolt seemed like very offensive because of the way he made the black race out to seem. He did not include the fact that the Africans were treated terrible by these people, beaten, and not given basic necessities such as food. I also think that it is interesting that the French tried to force their religious values on people and yet the African people still remembered their own cultural values and still sacrificed a pig and thought that this would help them with their rebellion.


Reports from the Insurrection
I found this reading a little confusing. I couldn’t figure out what side the mulattos were on. The slaves seemed very organized to lead this revolution. They made weapons out of their tools that they used in the sugar cane fields. I also think that it would be hard to have people from different backgrounds fighting on both sides. You could be fighting against people you know, killing someone who once was your family. Also, the Haitians were fighting for something that they wanted badly, whereas the whites were just fighting back against them. The Haitians wanted their freedom and their land that rightfully belonged to them. They also wanted a sense of belonging and identity instead of just being someone’s slave. I found it amazing that this was the only successful revolt against slavery that has every happened in history.


The Abolition of Slavery

This reading was talking about the day when slavery was abolished. Equality was established so that a black man, a yellow man, and a white man will sit among you representing the free citizens of Saint-Domingue. Three black men were allowed on the board. I found it very significant that the President of the Committee gave them a fraternal kiss. I feel like that shows how they accept them as a member in their committee. I think they brought up some legitimate points about the laws that were created in France but not in affect in Saint Domingue yet. Why should the people of France have to have laws that do not allow them to treat people a certain way and give men rights, but not have them apply to the men on the island in Saint Domingue?
Letter (1797-1802)
These letters were about Thomas Jefferson’s views on slavery and the possibility of emancipation were influenced by the events that happened in Saint Domingue. In his letters he talks about how he is worried that some of the ex-slaves from Saint Domingue will inform the slaves in the south of what they did and try to rebel like them. He is trying to inform these people I think that there is no choice but to get rid of slavery in the United States. I think that he is right. If they start hearing about how the slaves in Saint Domingue rebelled and were successful they might attempt to do that in America.

Constitution of the French Colony of Saint-Domingue
I think that for the most part these laws seem pretty fair. They were completely opposite of the Code of Noirs. I found it strange that they were not allowed to publicly profess any religion besides the Catholic, Apostolic and Roman religion. Also I was shocked to find that they were not allowed to get a divorce. Although, for the time period that they are living in divorce is rare and so is multiple religions in an area. I thought it was good that they specified what was considered their territory and what was not; Saint Domingue and other adjacent islands. Also The law of the enslaved child changed, everyone was now considered free. The law about the government also differs, now they are allowed to only continue five years in an office unless re-elected. I think that these laws were a lot better than the Code of Noir.

The Haitian Declaration of Independence
The Commander in Chief to the People in Haiti seemed to have a grudge against the French, and rightfully so. They ruined their culture and customs. He made it very clear that it was either independence or death. There was no way that they were ever going to be treated like that again. Slavery was never going to happen in Haiti again. I found the quote “should be written with the skin of a white man for parchment, his skull for a desk, his blood for ink, and a bayonet for a pen” very gruesome. I feel like in a way the white men deserved this for what they did to the slaves. Although, the chief claimed he wanted peace with the white men but eternal hatred to the French. I thought it was interesting to get a first perspective from someone who is high up in the society of the Haitians.


The Haitian Constitution
I found most of the Laws in The Haitian Constitution pretty legitimate. I think they were fair to everyone of every race. They claimed that Slavery is abolished forever. There is one law for everyone, they didn’t discriminate against any ethnicity. I found it very interesting that they would suspend your citizenship if you became bankrupt or had business failure. Also they didn’t think people were worthy of being a Haitian if they were not a good father, husband, or soldier. Also they said that the law was for everyone, I found it seemed like it was discriminated against white men for not allowing them to set foot in the territory as a landowner, unless if you were a German or Pole. I also think the idea of having the crown be non-hereditary was a good idea. I think that maybe the reason why they did this was because of fear of people having to much power. It claims that there is no dominant religion. Also they said that it will not provide for religious expenses of any form of religion which is also a good idea to keep a separation of church and state.