HIS106Y1 Lecture 5: Freedom Struggles: Saint Domingue/Haiti
Document Summary
Spain cedes western third of hispaniola to french: huge financial loss. 4 interest groups: blancs (whites, gens de coleur (free people of colour, maroons. Planters: wealthy whites who owned plantations and many slaves. Felt frustrated by the laws and were increasingly independent and defiant, challenged the french government. Petit blanc: less powerful than the planters: they were artisians, shop keepers, merchants, teachers and various middle and underclass whites, they often has a few slaves, but were not wealthy like the planters. Less independent minded and were more loyal to france. Invested in the institution built on the labour of black people - more racist. Saw free people of colour as economic and social competition. Gens de coleur (free people of colour): provided a buffer between white colonialist and slaves: Slaves freedom relied on freedom documents --> without it they can be once again enslaved. Felt frustrated that they were being represented in france.
