#tianfood

[pixoplanet]

It's January 1st, 🇭🇹 Haitian Independence Day. 🇫🇷 France had ruled the colony of Saint-Domingue as part of its worldwide empire since 1659. However, in 1791, a group of enslaved persons, inspired by the 🇺🇸 American and 🇫🇷 French Revolutions, began an epic struggle for freedom that culminated in victory and a declaration of independence on this day in 1804. The declaration proclaimed that the new republic would forever after be known by the same name it was known as before the Europeans had arrived – "Haiti," which means "High Land" in the 🛶 Native American Taino language.

The Haitian Revolution is Haiti's defining moment. It was the largest slave uprising since 🇬🇷 Spartacus' unsuccessful revolt against the 🇮🇹 Romans in 72 BCE. Haiti's victory came as a total surprise and shock to the rest of the world and inspired countless other revolts throughout the Western Hemisphere. It also paved the way for the termination of the transatlantic slave trade. As for Napoleon Bonaparte, the defeat was the nail in the coffin of his ambitions for a New World French Empire. He had sold the Louisiana Purchase to the US the previous year in part to pay for a victory in Saint-Domingue. That was not to be. Haiti became the first independent state in Latin America and the first in the New World to be led by a person of color.

The defeat of France put an end to Haiti's military fight for freedom, but not its political fight. The US and most European nations, including France, didn't immediately recognize Haiti's independence. France didn't officially do so until 1825. The US didn't do so until 1862. They don't matter, though. All that matters is Haiti. The Haitians recognized their own independence on this day in 1804 and have continued to do so every day since. ☮️Peace… Jamiese of Pixoplanet