HIST 2108 Revolution, Emancipation, Violence: France and Haiti 1750-1820

The late 18th century saw two momentous acts of collective emancipation that were inspired by but also very different from the American Revolution. One was the French Revolution, which overthrew France’s ancient monarchy and abolished the nobility. The other was the revolution in what would become the independent country of Haiti, the first successful slave revolt in modern history. Both sought to create new societies based on ideals of human freedom and equality. Both sought to separate themselves from the past, drawing a sharp line between the old regime and the new one. And both committed terrible acts of violence in pursuit of their ideals. Celebrated by some and reviled by others, they marked the advent of political modernity, a world in which the possibility of radical change shadows political life and even the most repressive governments cannot entirely ignore the voice of the "people". This course explores the causes, consequences, and significance of these two epoch-making upheavals, while analyzing the complicated relation between revolutionary emancipation and the violence that accompanied it.

Credits

3