Haitian Revolution: National Reception and Impact

When the former slaves of Saint Domingue won their freedom and created the independent country of Haiti, their new country was not exactly welcomed by other countries in the world. Thomas Jefferson, whose country had recently gained its own independence in a similar way, was afraid that the Haitian Revolution would start a ripple effect and cause American slaves to begin a similar uprising. He was so intent on cutting Haiti completely off from America that he tried to stop congress from trading with Haiti. Not only was America reluctant to acknowledge Haiti as an independent country, so was France. They refused to acknowledge Haiti as its own country until Haiti paid them over one hundred million francs, ten times the new country's yearly income. France threatened to invade them, yet again, if they didn't pay Frances' steep prices. Not only did they need to pay France, but they had to borrow money from French banks that took this opportunity to charge unreasonable interest rates.

The effects of how Haiti was nationally received can still be seen today. France exploited Haiti in the first years of its existence, before it had fully gotten its feet on the ground. Not only was the cost ridiculous, equalling close to twenty two billion dollars now, but Haiti was still in its "infancy," so to speak. They didn't yet have the money to pay any kind of debts to another country. Haiti was forced to borrow money from French banks. The hight interest put them in even more debt. Haiti is still struggling the poverty, sickness and natural disasters. As of 2010, 1.6 million people were homeless in Haiti. That number made up more than one sixth of Haiti's population. Many Haitians and people around the world are calling on France to come to Haiti's aid and pay them back for the damages done by the money extorted from Haiti in the early years of this existence. The reception of Haiti on a national scale left it poor and desperate, even to this day.

Haitian Revolutionary General

http://www.cubaheritage.org/articles.asp?lID=1&artID=115