Before the Revolution
This is a little bit about the economy, plantations, people, and facts about Saint Domingue, prior to the revolution. This information can be used to compare with the changes after the revolution.
A New Colony
In 1684 the French and the Spanish signed the Treaty of Ratisbon, ending the War of the Reunions that was taking place on the Caribbean island of Hispaniola. This treaty ended the war but in result, Spain had to give up the western third of their island. The French called their newly owned territory Saint-Dominigue. Not long after, it became the richest colony in the Caribbean and probably the richest colony ever in history.
Plantations
Saint-Dominique thrived from the fertile soil, excellent climate, and slave labor. They produced many crops such as sugar, coffee, tobacco, cotton, cocoa, indigo, fruits, and vegetables. Before the revolution, Saint-Dominique had 655 sugar plantations, 1,962 coffee plantations, and 398 cotton and indigo plantations. In fact, during the colony's prime, Saint-Dominique was producing one third of the worlds sugar and half of the world’s coffee.
People
Due to the vast planting industry established in Saint Domigue, many different classes emerged. These included four main groups: the whites, free colored, black slaves, and maroons.
There were about 20,000 whites living in Saint Domingue, all French. They were divided into two different groups known as the planters and the petit blancs. The planters were very wealthy and owned many slaves and plantations. Petit blancs were far less powerful than the planters. This group was made up of artisans, shop keepers, merchants, and teachers. They have very few slaves.
Free colored people also lived in Saint Domingue. Half of them were mulattoes, children of slave women and French me. There were about 30,000 of free colored people all together. They were more wealthy than the petit blancs and more wealthy than many planters. Besides, them being black, they owned lots of slaves and were very "pro-slave". The free colored people acted more "white" than many white colonists living in Saint Domingue, for the whites saw them as lower people.
Slaves made up most of the population in the colony of Saint Domingue. There were about 500,000 black slaves. These slaves were treated horribly. There were two main types of slaves. Domestic slaves and field hands. Domestic slaves were personal servants, artisans, and cooks. They were treated better than field hand slaves, therefore they were very loyal to their owners. 80 percent of slaves were field hands. These people lived hopeless and hard lives. Animals in the colony got treated better than them! They were predicted to only live for three to seven years as a slave.
We do not know how many maroons there were prior to the revolution. According the the author, Jeremy Popkin, they assume that there were about 10,000 of them. Maroons were slaves who have ran away from their plantations. They lived in the mountainous part of the colony and thrived on the wilderness there. They had a very African style of life which included farming, religion, architecture, and customs. These people though were too scared about getting caught that they would not risk fighting for freedom.
There were about 20,000 whites living in Saint Domingue, all French. They were divided into two different groups known as the planters and the petit blancs. The planters were very wealthy and owned many slaves and plantations. Petit blancs were far less powerful than the planters. This group was made up of artisans, shop keepers, merchants, and teachers. They have very few slaves.
Free colored people also lived in Saint Domingue. Half of them were mulattoes, children of slave women and French me. There were about 30,000 of free colored people all together. They were more wealthy than the petit blancs and more wealthy than many planters. Besides, them being black, they owned lots of slaves and were very "pro-slave". The free colored people acted more "white" than many white colonists living in Saint Domingue, for the whites saw them as lower people.
Slaves made up most of the population in the colony of Saint Domingue. There were about 500,000 black slaves. These slaves were treated horribly. There were two main types of slaves. Domestic slaves and field hands. Domestic slaves were personal servants, artisans, and cooks. They were treated better than field hand slaves, therefore they were very loyal to their owners. 80 percent of slaves were field hands. These people lived hopeless and hard lives. Animals in the colony got treated better than them! They were predicted to only live for three to seven years as a slave.
We do not know how many maroons there were prior to the revolution. According the the author, Jeremy Popkin, they assume that there were about 10,000 of them. Maroons were slaves who have ran away from their plantations. They lived in the mountainous part of the colony and thrived on the wilderness there. They had a very African style of life which included farming, religion, architecture, and customs. These people though were too scared about getting caught that they would not risk fighting for freedom.