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He was born enslaved in Saint Domingue (modern-day Haiti) island that France owned. The western half of this island was called Hispaniola, and the eastern was the Spanish colony, of Santo Domingo. There were about 452,000 slaves on the island. Toussaint was educated by his godfather, a freed slave in philosophy and medicine.
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Toussaint was born between 1739 and 1743. He was born in Cap-Haitien, Haiti. -
He was freed, though he still worked on the same plantation. -
It declared all men were born free and equal in France, and then became a republic -
Northern enslaved people revolt and many kill their owners, and take over cities and plantations. 100,000 slaves had joined the revolt, killing 4,000 slave owners and destroying over 1,000 plantations with Georges Biassou as leader -
They controlled a third of the island and war began. Toussaint joins Biassou as a doctor but eventually becomes a commander. He changed hs name to Louverture which means opening in french referencing his battle strategies
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Government wanted to win back the Black population on the island so they abolished slavery Louverture switched to the side of the french republic that year because the Spanish had not promised to abolish slavery then became a general that wanted to rebuild the island and defeat the Spanish. -
Spain signed a peace treaty with France after Louvertaure's victories so he went after the British next to reclaim the land. The British were shocked that Louverture had turned his former slave army into a undefeatable military. -
British land was gone and troops die from yellow fever. British signed a treaty with Louverture. He becomes the leader of San Dominque. -
A civil war breaks out but is settled. Louverture continues making sugar, coffee, and cocoa, but by paying the black workers now. -
He also signed a treaty with the US. The island remains part of France but is ruled as an independent country former slaves were able to seek freedom after he helped them out. He fought to end slavery and gain the independence of Haiti from France and Spain.