1 of 3 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
A good new account, April 5 2004
Although this book excuses and uses moral relativism to explain the violence of the rebellion it nevertheless succeeds in explaining and documenting the slave revolt of 1871 against the French the subsequent victory, the first of its kind by slaves, against the Europeans. Decidedly American in nature, although the author argues it was inspired by the French revolution, the Haitian revolt against both Spain and against England and Spain helped create the second independent republic in the Americas. Toussaint, the leader, became a folk hero and the consequences reverberated all across the Americas, as images of slaves putting their masters to death were scene in the daily papers. Of course the most important political implications is that the Haitian rebellion ended Napoleonic hopes for an expanding empire in the Americas.
This is an important analysis and account of the Haitian rebellion, interesting in light of the recent problems in Haiti, which has unfortunately become the poorest country in the Americas, in direct opposition to its American neighbor who gained independence a mere dozen years prior.
Seth J. Frantzman
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