HISTORY 21B Chapter Notes - Chapter 1: Saint-Domingue, Code Noir, Middle Passage
Document Summary
Dutch east india company spreading from asia into the caribbean. France and britain entering as major powers. French king louis xiv creates the code noir (black code) to govern the colonies. Expanding production of sugar, cotton, tobacco, coffee. Ships sail from the slave ports (nantes, bordeaux, liverpool, bristol) Take cloth and goods to west african coast. Purchase slaves and take middle passage across atlantic. Sell slaves in caribbean or american colonies. 1635 - french colonies of martinique and guadeloupe. 1697 - one third of hispaniola ceded to french - colony of saint domingue (haiti) Switched to cane - huge profits - sugar, rum, molasses. Guadeloupe from 11,000 to 1700 to 50,000 in 1750. Saint domingue most wealth producing per km in world. Seven years war - france surrendered canada to keep caribbean islands. After haitian independence, cuba becomes largest sugar producer.
