Abstract
In the 16th century, Spain imported large numbers of African slaves whose descendants now populate the country. The colony subsequently fell under French rule. In 1791 a slave uprising led to the 13-year-long Haitian Revolution. In 1801 Toussaint Louverture, one of the leaders of the revolution, succeeded in eradicating slavery. He proclaimed himself governor-general for life over the whole island. He was captured and sent to France, but Jean-Jacques Dessalines, one of his generals, led the final battle that defeated Napoleon’s forces. The newly-named Haiti declared its independence on 1 Jan. 1804, becoming the first independent black republic in the world. Ruled by a succession of self-appointed monarchs, Haiti became a republic in the mid-19th century. From 1915 to 1934 Haiti was under United States occupation.
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Further reading
Girard, Philippe, Haiti: The Tumultuous History—From Pearl of the Caribbean to Broken Nation. 2010
Heinl, Robert & Nancy, revised by Michael Heinl, Written in Blood. 1996
Nicholls, D., From Dessalines to Duvalier: Race, Colour and National Independence in Haiti. 3rd ed. 1996
Pierre, Hyppolite, Haiti, Rising Flames from Burning Ashes: Haiti the Phoenix. 2006
Shamsie, Yasmine and Thompson, Andrew S. (eds.) Haiti: Hope for a Fragile State. 2006
Thomson, L., Bonjour Blanc: a Journey through Haiti. 1992
Weinstein, B. and Segal, A., Haiti: the Failure of Politics. 1992
Wucker, Michele, Why the Cocks Fight: Dominicans, Haitians, and the Struggle for Hispaniola. 2000
National library: Bibliothèque Nationale, 193 Rue du Centre, Port-au-Prince.
National Statistical Office: Institut Haïtien de Statistique et d’Informatique (IHSI), 1 Angle rue Joseph Janvier et Blvd Harry Truman, HT6110 Port-au-Prince.
Website (French only): http://www.ihsi.ht
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Turner, B. (2013). Haiti. In: Turner, B. (eds) The Statesman’s Yearbook. The Statesman’s Yearbook. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-59643-0_232
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-59643-0_232
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, London
Print ISBN: 978-0-230-37769-1
Online ISBN: 978-1-349-59643-0
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