“All men are created equal.” Comparing the American Revolution and the Haitian Revolution based on this statement alone can seem tough at first glance, because the Declaration of Independence insists that “all men are created equal.” However, the Haitian revolution is known as the most successful slave revolt in history, so which one made a more fair and equal state? Regarding race, class, and gender, which new land was more fair overall?
Starting with the American Revolution, it didn’t start due to inequality. In fact, inequality was scarcely a goal of the revolution. The goal was to secede from Europe and become their own nation, the U.S.A. They revolted due to taxation without representation, and a few years after succeeding, drafted the Declaration of Independence. The Declaration officially recognized the United States as an independent nation, and in it, the line “all men are created equal.” However, for many years to come, women and people of color were treated as inferior and legally had less rights than white males. Not until 1865 was slavery abolished, and not until 1919 were women given equal treatment in America.
In Haiti, or at the time, Saint-Domingue, there existed a class system that ranked from top to bottom of: French plantation owner, Affranchis, and then slave. This system continued on until the slaves and Affranchis heard of the successful revolution in America and revolutions in progress in other French colonies. Enlightenment ideals were also spread to Saint-Domingue, and after a law to grant Affranchis citizenship was vetoed, the Affranchis and the slaves banded together and revolted. A major contributor to this revolution was Toussaint Louverture, who acted very well as a leader for the revolution. With his army of Affranchis and slaves, they drove out the French, and the attacking British and Spanish.
Toussaint now ruled over Haiti, and created a free, multi-racial, constitutional society. French forces did not take lightly to this, and attacked even harder. Toussaint was captured, but the revolutionaries managed to drive out the French once again. Tousaint died, and Haiti remained free. With slavery abolished in Haiti, many white plantation owners fled Haiti, while some stayed. While I wish I could say that Haiti became a free land with equal rights, Haitian ruler Jean-Jacques Dessalines ordered the killings of thousands of white inhabitants, which didn’t end the inequality, it just turned it on it’s head. After the whites were gone, the slaves turned their anger to the Affranchis. Soon there were almost no one but slaves in a free land amidst destroyed crops and property.
Comparing and contrasting them, I think it’s safe to say that the American Revolution resulted in a more fair and equal state. While the Haitian revolution succeeded in freeing many slaves, it collapsed on itself and ended up becoming unequal once more. America took a century or so to grant equality to slaves, and a while longer for women, but it did eventually come. So in conclusion, the American Revolution resulted in a more fair and free state.
I am not a very good writer, I highly recommend you look over and edit this essay as this is a first draft.
