Month: September 2016

“When I set that portion at one-third of the net revenue, I assumed that you would work six days a week. You want to cut back on Saturday. From the first, I already told you that you have authority to do this; but look at the results.” (p. 140)

I found this quote from the text particularly interesting, as it is a crucial part of the rules that slaves on the plantation had to abide by. When you think slaves, you think hour-long, back breaking work with little to no breaks, and bad treatment. However, this quote goes against that belief. The text states that slaves were not forced to work, and were basically given complete freedom. If they did not want to work and instead wanted to rest, they could. They could “rest on Saturday, on Monday, every day of the week”, if they wanted to. The African slaves had every right to not work if they pleased to do so, but the only catch was that it was their own responsibilities to be fed and kept in order. The quote above is followed by calculations of how much milliers the slaves would be losing, had they chose not to work. Sure, the slaves had freedom, but if they chose to not work, then no money would be made. This meant they would not be able to support themselves financially, as they would have no share in the profits of the plantation. Polveral makes sure to emphasize to the slaves that they have freedom and rights but he also thoroughly explains the consequences of not working. This may lead the slaves to think about their actions and decide what is better for their well-being, which causes them to work more on the plantations.

“… tore her child from her arms, threatening to cut off his head to avenge, he said, the deaths of several blacks killed by citizen Dubuisson…” (pg. 158)

This sentence is the most important sentence in the passage and it reflects on how women were treated during the insurrection. It is described that the Black man took a woman’s child and threaten to kill him, justifying his attempt by saying it is revenge for his people as they were killed by citizen Dubission. Thus showing, that women back then were used as a scapegoat because they would endure the pain for what their people did. It is stated in the small excerption before the passage that women weren’t at all treated with abuse or pain, rather this though contradicts this statement. Yes, they weren’t punished for what they did, rather they were punished for what their ancestors and current people did. Also, the fact that they would kill their children just shows that the Blacks really wanted to cause pain for what happened to them.  Killing children would cause a civilization from vanishing, as what the Blacks had to go through when their own people were being vanished. It was an eye for an eye, and thats how women were treated.  Even their men were taken away, as they felt pain from multiple angles.  The fact that the author doesn’t even tell us what the race of the women were makes it hard to conclude what really happened in the end and throughout the testimony.

“Africans, listen carefully to me. You can rest on Saturday, on Monday, every day of the week, if you want. You are completely free. But you have to eat and clothe yourselves” (140)

Polverel reveals the cold truth to freed slaves: they still have to work. Africans were excited and couldn’t believe their new freedoms. Some tested it by not working Saturdays, Sundays, or even the whole week. They realize that it’s a big problem. Although they’re free of the white man, it doesn’t mean that they are free of labor. Everyone had to work just to survive, even the whites!. So with men not working, how are they going to care for themselves or more importantly, their families? Polverel explains that they are in control of themselves and in their work. They need to provide for their wives and children. There needs to be food, clothing, and a house to live in. Africans now have the opportunity to raise their own crops or livestock for personal benefit. African are now free, but not free from work. Days off are nice, but the more days off taken, the less money is made. These men can now ultimately decide whether or not to work hard enjoy life’s gifts and pleasures. When enslaved, these men were just given enough clothes and food to survive. Now is their opportunity to work hard and live a more meaningful life. With the Emancipation Proclamation, there is a new wave of men facing their experiences with freedom, both humanely and financially.

“… at that time slavery was as essential to the continuation of work as it was to keeping the colonists faithful to France. A group of ferocious tyrants still ruled Saint- Domingue men who publicly preached that one’s skin color should be a sign of power or condemnation” (p121)

In the above quote it states that the kings of Saint Domingue or rulers at the time believed that power was determined by skin color. The kings thought that people with lighter or white skin were superior, while those with darker skin were below them and should be but to death or be punished for their skin color. Therefore those with lighter skin started enslaving Africans and forcing them to do harsh labor and stripping them of their natural human rights. The whites have this mind set that people with darker skin should be punished. However, as stated in the quote, “slavery was as essential to the continuation of work as it was to keeping the colonists faithful to France”, meaning that slaves were actually really important to the society as a whole. Its interesting how the whites thought they were above everyone and that everyone should respect them, but in reality they couldn’t even plant crops to feed themselves without the help of slaves. Without slaves no work will be done. There won’t be any one working on plantations or doing household chores for the Whites. No products will be produced without the help from slaves.So the fact that those “ferocious tyrants” thought those who had darker skin color were useless and should be condemn is ironic, because the whites actually depended the blacks for their source of income and their source of food.

 

 

“They almost seem to believe that their status has not changed if they do not have one more day per week” (Plantation Rule of Etienne Ploverel, page 140)

This sentence in the article was interesting to me because it is Ploverel’s interpretation of the former slaves’ thoughts on their freedom. He is implying that the former slaves are unappreciative of this freedom they have finally received and that they are asking for too much at this point. According to Ploverel, they do not consider themselves free if they do not get Saturday’s off from work. He criticizes them of being lazy and he starts talking about how they do not realize that if they take this extra day off, they are cutting back on one-sixth of the year’s work, which ultimately doesn’t benefit them or the landowners. He gives them exact calculations of how much money they’d be losing out on if they took an extra day off. He continues by letting them know that taking a day off is their choice; they are now completely free, but he does bring up the fact that they have to eat, sleep, and provide for their family, which requires working and earning money.
This sentence in the article relates to the text as a whole because Ploverel is arguing his plantation policies directly to the field workers in a way where the former slaves cannot take advantage of their citizenship and new freedom.

“This regime is going to be changed; a new order of things will be born, and the old slavery will disappear. Yet do not think that the liberty that you will enjoy means laziness and inactivity……..you will no longer suffer the humiliating punishments previously inflicted upon you. You will be your own master and live contended.” (122)

Leger Sonthonax and Etienne Polverel were sent to Saint-Domingue to prepare the general emancipation of the slaves. Slaves were treated terribly by their owners, and change was needed. In this quote the two men say that everyone is free, everyone will be paid for work, everyone can be their normal self, and everyone can finally be happy. Of course Kings most probably wouldn’t like this as they are only content when they are around slaves. People need to be treated equally. Color should have nothing to do with your Social class order. All African Americans who are currently in slavery are free to now do what they want, as they are now a regular French citizen. The fact that slaves were treated so terribly, had so much work, and were not even paid is just so sad. These people deserve to be paid and finally they will be getting paid for their hard work. In this quote Sonthonax also says that just because you are free doesn’t mean you should be lazy and inactive, you should continue to work hard, and for this you will be rewarded. The African Americans never did anything to harm anyone and they did not deserve to be enslaved just because of their color. This is the change that they have been waiting for for a while, a change that they deserve. If someone hurts their worker they will be fined and possibly lose their salary. These new laws are a big change for all the citizens, some may not like these changes, but these changes needed to happen.

“The representatives of the French people, organized as a National Assembly, believing that the ignorance, neglect or the contempt of the rights of man are the sole cause of public calamities and of the corruption of governments, have determined to set forth in a solemn declaration the natural, inalienable, and sacred rights of man…”

The declaration of the rights of man and citizen were created by the National Assembly who saw themselves as the representatives of the French people. They believed that the neglect of the rights that they have listed in the document were the exact cause of the public discontent among the french people. These rights of man set out by the national assembly were largely influenced by Thomas Jefferson therefore having a large american influence.Some of this american influence can be seen with the mention of inalienable rights.

This list of rights formed by the National assembly include some of the basic human rights that were being infringed upon during the french revolution and would come to be an extremely significant document throughout said revolution. These laws included basic freedoms ranging from the equality of men and that the law should be based off of the will of the people. It was clear that these changes were needed at the time because people were being persecuted left and righ by the government for trivial reasons and people were not given natural rights from birth which many may argue that you are given these rights at birth.This document would create the framework for the later french constitution.

“The representatives of the French people, organized as a National Assembly, believing that the ignorance, neglect, or contempt of the rights of man are the sole cause of public calamities and of the corruption of governments, have determined to set forth in a solemn declaration the natural, inalienable, and sacred right of man…”

The first four words of this quote are significant in themselves alone. The National Assembly of France not only authored this Declaration, but also considered themselves the representatives of France and its people as a whole. France around the time of the revolution faced uncertainty because of the division created between supporters and opposers of the movement. There was a major change in the way that people thought of themselves and qualities they valued. There was a push to standardize rights for all and to have a government that noticed the need and was willing to create an environment to support it.

Even further, the fact that the National Assembly is composed of French citizens is a testament in itself to the arriving change. In other words, a group composed of French citizens was bringing attentions to issues of French citizens. The concept of inalienable rights favor citizens by forcing a government to recognize them. The use of the word sacred insists on them being respected to an almost religious context as far as reverence. The use of the word natural adds to this point as well. Natural rights would suggest an individual is born with them; having been given them by his creator.

“The purpose of all political association is the preservation of the natural and imprescriptible rights of woman and man. These rights are liberty, property, security, and especially resistance to oppression.”

The preface of this reading portion explained that Marie Gouze was a self educated female who became a voice in the French Revolution by expanding reform to include women. She wrote her pamphlet to Marie Antoinette but also included warning. She mentioned that if there was no support of the movement, there was a chance that French royalty itself would become a thing of the past by force. In the preamble of her declaration she believes most of the turmoil in her country can be linked to neglecting of rights of women and not just men. She believes that a just government is in a position and is called to safeguard the rights of its citizens.

Her belief echoes a similar statement in the Declaration of Independence of the United States instead of France. The writers of that document went further by saying that a government that fails to do so gives its citizens the right to overthrow it in favor of a new one. Marie in her pamphlet extends these rights that should be protected to include security and resistance to oppression in her words. She also fights for equal opportunity by arguing there shouldn’t be discrimination in the work force by women having the ability to pursue equal employment as men.

“And his majesty doth further hereby declare, that if any person or persons shall take upon them, him, or her, after his, or her License or Licenses, recalled, or otherwise without License, to sell by retail (as aforesaid) any of the Liquors aforesaid, then the person or persons so Offending, shall not only be proceeded against, upon the Statute made in the fifteenth year of his Majesties Reign…but shall receive the severest punishments that may by Law be inflicted.”

In this proclamation, the king is calling for a ban of coffee houses and the distributions of licenses to sell coffee, chocolate, sherbet, and tea. He claimed that the numerous coffee houses that have sprung up over the last couple years have, “produced very evil and dangerous effects.” The people are spending the majority of their time there instead of tending to their “Lawful Callings and Affairs.” He also reported that people were spreading, “False, Malitious, and Scandalous Reports…to the Defamation of His Majesties Government, and to the Disturbance of the Peace and Quiet of the Realm.” The main concern here seems to be the spread of false information and the defamation of the king. Coffee houses were seen as gathering places for people to discuss politics and slander the monarchy. This proves to be troublesome because these meetings and discussions could lead to revolts and plots to overthrow the king from people, over their shared dislike for the monarchy and the government. His majesty called for the Justices of the Peace and the Chief Magistrates to “recall and make void all Licenses.” The people were banned from selling coffee, chocolate, sherbet, and tea in coffee houses or their own personal homes. To ensure that people followed this new law, the king put forth a fine of five pounds for every month the person committed the offense, and “receive the severest punishments that may by Law be inflicted” if they continue to commit the offense. However, the note at the bottom tells us that this ban never actually went into effect because of pressure from the king’s ministers who loved coffee themselves.