There are many qualities that make a great leader. For example, great leaders must have self awareness. They must acknowledge their inner strengths and weaknesses.They must be able to direct themselves both powerfully and effectively. A leader must have a vision and have the ability of working towards a goal that is greater than themselves and benefits the people. An example of a great leader is Malcolm X who was an African American activist who fought for their natural rights. Malcolm X had engaging characteristics such as the previous that was listed which made it easy for people to follow him. Toussaint Louverture was an admirable leader in the 1800s. Like Malcolm X, Louverture also fought for the rights of  people, specifically the slaves that were in Saint Domingue.  As French ruled Saint Domingue, it became the European power’s richest colony. Toussaint Louverture was born into the world in 1740. As slave he was a herder, coachman, and later became an overseer for other slaves. In 1789 after many plantations were burned down by slaves because of the refusal to end slavery, Toussaint Louverture became a leader of the rebellion after encouraging slaves to rebel and fight for their freedom from the Caucasian planters. Louverture’s role in Saint Domingue’s fight for independence cannot be overstated. Louverture’s legacy should be that of a liberator of slaves, a military commander, and a ruler of Saint Domingue during and following their struggle for independence from France.  

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toussaint_Louverture

Despite asserting his leadership as a military commander and a ruler, Louverture’s leadership during the slave rebellion in Saint Domingue resulted in his remembrance in the modern day.  After becoming a freed slave, Louverture devoted his life to the liberation of all slaves on the island of Saint Domingue, now known as Haiti.  In the year of 1791, a revolt took place starting the Haitian Revolution caused by the slaves wanting to gain independence.  As the revolution began in the Northern part of Saint Domingue, Louverture served as a doctor and commander to the troops. He then trained the troops in guerrilla tactics where troops learned to use their surroundings to remain undercover. Another warfare tactic utilized by Louverture  was “European- style,” where troops learned how to fight shoulder to shoulder which was important because most of the battles were fought in this style. In the timeline of Abolition in Saint Domingue it stated that in 1794 "The revolutionary government in France under Robespierre abolishes slavery in France and all its colonies(Document. A).” Louverture and his troops ended their revolt against French colonialists as  the French government in Paris abolished slavery on the island. Later, in 1796, Louverture, General Dessalines and General Christophe, former slaves who helped lead the revolt, organized an army against the British who were concerned about slave abolishment extending to other colonies such as Jamaica. These events that took place not only show Toussaint Louverture as a military leader,  but as a liberator of slaves because he organized his army for the purpose of  fighting for their freedom. Also, he wavered in his siding  with French, depending on the French government’s views regarding the abolishment of slavery. Furthermore,  in 1797, Louverture  wrote a letter to the French government threatening action if they were to reinstate slavery. In the letter Louverture wrote, "I declare to you that this would be to attempt the impossible: we have known how to confront change to our liberty, and we will know how to confront death to preserve it (Document. B)." In Toussaint Louverture’s opinion, it was impossible to reinstate slavery in Saint Domingue because the slaves were already free and would be willing to fight to the death to preserve their freedom. Louverture assembled and headed the commission, forming Saint Domingue's constitution of 1801. Under the title II of the new constitution: "There cannot exists slaves in this territory, servitude is therein forever abolished. All men are born, live and die free( Document. C)." This furthers Louverture’s cause as a prime opponent to slavery because he was able to create a legally binding constitution that made all men born free. Toussaint Louverture should be remembered as a liberator of slaves based on the timeline of abolition in Saint Domingue, his leader to the French Directory and Saint Domingue's constitution of 1801.

In 1801, after Toussaint abolished slavery, he became ruler of Saint Domingue, presenting another justification for his remembrance.  As a ruler of Saint Domingue, Toussaint was able to make a proclamation establishing more laws with regards to the population that was refusing to work . The proclamation stated, "As soon as a child can walk, he should be employed on the plantation according to his strength in some useful work (Document D)." Louverture wanted to make sure the country's agriculture did the best it could. In fact, any individual who decided to break this law was arrested by the local police. Also, if a plantation supervisor failed to report runaway vagabonds, they would be sentenced to a week in jail. Although the punishments for breaking the law were harsh, as a ruler of Saint Domingue, Toussaint Louverture needed to make tough decisions to ensure the success of the nation’s economy. Another example of Toussaint Louverture’s leadership over Saint Domingue was his establishment of the commission that created the constitution of Saint Domingue in 1801. Under title VIII of the constitution,  it states, " The constitution nominate citizen Toussaint-Louverture, chief General of the army if Saint-Domingue and...he is entrusted the direction thereof for the remainder of his glorious life (Document C)." Toussaint is named leader of Saint Domingue in this constitution. This document shows that Louverture should be renamed as a ruler of Saint Domingue because he was in charge of writing the constitution from which the formation of the nation was based.

Finally, Toussaint Louverture was a superior military leader, another remarkable quality of his. Toussaint did not rule without resistance of his citizens.  In fact, after gaining their freedom, many former slaves objected the plantation system because they were essentially doing the same work that they had done as slaves, but were now earning money for it.  Also, the plantations were ruled by the same slavers of the former slaves which left the slaves feeling as if nothing changed for them. Hyacinthe Mayse, Louverture’s adopted nephew believed that Toussaint Louverture was wrong to support plantation farming. Mayse and other former slaves distrusted Louverture because he was very friendly with the Caucasian planter class and also, it was unfair of him to force former slaves to work under the same plantation owners they previously worked for. Mayse challenged Louverture’s policies in agriculture and organized a rebellion on October 29, 1801 on the Northern Plain.  Louverture was so angry that in response, to this rebellion, as it states in the document, “... he ordered the mutineer regiments on parade and summoned certain men to step out of the ranks and blow their brains out (Document E).” Louverture made the troops that participated in the rebellion to kill themselves. His nephew was later arrested and executed. Although the consequences were harsh, his reaction to the rebellion showed that him maintaining order as a military leader making sure things go as planned and not to the consent of the slaves. Toussaint Louverture had many character traits that made him a good leader such as generosity, humanity, and courage which helped posses him to gain his soldiers confidence and respect. In 1801, Napoleon desired to take over Saint Domingue again with a feasible goal of reinstating slavery. Napoleon sent troops to the port city of Samana, according to Louverture, to try to reinstate slavery. In reactant as said, in A Description of Toussaint Louverture, “Toussaint and his generals at once abandoned the towns and betook themselves to the mountains( Document F).” Louverture’s troops burned down the city and traveled to the Alps mountains before the French troops arrived. this left the troops at a disadvantage because there were no resources upon their arrival. Also, the Haitian  troops had more time to prepare and French were on accustomed to fighting in the city not in mountains. This document proves that Louverture should be remembered as a military leader because he trained his army to become great soldiers by training them how to use guerilla and European tactics.

Toussaint Louverture had a legacy that people should definitely remember because  he was able to make great changes in Haiti. He was able to free slaves which was a big achievement considering that he was a former slave. With the accomplishment of liberating all slaves he was able to rule Saint Domingue. He had harsh consequences that made him a leader to despise but also made him a leader to admire because his consequences showed that he was a strong leadership skills and did not put up with things that would hurt the country and things went as planned. His military skills were superior which made his troops win a lot of the battles that took place. Toussaint Louverture should be remembered mostly because liberating slaves but also for ruling Saint Domingue and being a great military leader.


The documents
Document A: Timeline of Abolition in Saint Domingue
Document B: Letter to the French Directory, November 1791
Document C: Constitution of 1801
Document D: Proclamation, 25 November 1801
Document E: 1801 Rebellion Against Toussaint
Document F: The Battle of Samana

Below is a link to a very interesting video about the Haitian Revolution
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5A_o-nU5s2U