HIST362: Modern Revolutions

Since it was the first republic established by formerly enslaved people, Haiti faced challenges in securing trading partners and establishing diplomatic relations. Many Americans were reluctant to form alliances or create ties with a country where formerly enslaved people had just wrested power from their enslavers. Edmund Burke, the conservative pundit who criticized the French Revolution, claimed the Haitian Revolution threatened the institution of slavery.

Watch this video on the challenges Haiti faced after it had achieved independence. How did the American and French Revolutions inspire the protesters? Describe the opposition its leaders faced concerning trade and diplomatic relations and how these barriers affected its development as a nation.