Toussaint L'Overture
Francois Dominique Toussaint L'Overture was a former educated slave. He joined the slave revolt when he was forty-five years old. Toussaint L' Overture was the father of the Haitian Revolution. He overthrew the "French colonial power in Saint Domingue," (Conflict's Roots, p. 42) he presented Haiti with its first Constitution, and he had a great influence on Haiti's independence.
Toussaint was a strong revolutionary. He defeated the army of the greatest conqueror of the 19th century, Napoleon Bonaparte. His acquaintance of European military strategy, and his understanding of battle drills helped put the rebel noir army in "equal footing with European troops." (Conflict's Roots, p. 42) This helped him succeed in overthrowing the French colonial power from the island. Therefore making him a strong revolutionary and the most remembered rebel in the Great Haitian Revolt. Because of his "revolutionary visions" (Mr. Fergus, Humanities teacher) Haiti would go on to become the first independent black state in the western hemisphere.
The leader of the Haitian revolution, Toussaint L'...
Jean Jacques Dessalines, leader of the Haitian Rev...
Français : Le général Toussaint Louverture.While Saint Domingue was not formally an independent nation Toussaint began creating a new system of government. (Conflict's Roots, p.43-44) With this he presented Haiti with its first Constitution. He declared himself governor-general for life, and he also had the "authority to choose his successor." (Conflict's Roots, p. 44) Since all power was centralized, Toussaint had the capacity to compose and implement all laws, select all governor officials, command the armies and the island's finances. " He set up the fledging nation as a military dictatorship." (Conflict's Roots, p. 44) Not only did his government provide administrative organization in Haiti but also this made the Haitian people one-step closer to getting their independence.
Toussaint struggled to free his people of the French rule for twelve years. He defeated the "local whites, French soldiers, a Spanish invasion, a British...