How HAITI Helped Create the United States of America

The idea of the day in the New York Times blog today is "How Haiti Helped Create the U.S." and the article suggests that the United States owes more to Haiti for her independence one might think.

Many times you hear about George Washington and the forefathers of the American Revolution but rarely do you hear about sweats of the Haitian slaves who helped finance the American war of Independence.

Who would've thought that a 7.0 magnitude earthquake would bring this topic back to the surface?

Did Haiti help create the United States of America?

Here are some excerpts from the New York Times article:

"The United States owes a debt for its founding to what is now Haiti..."

"...the prosperous French colony [Haiti] was a vital transit hub for munitions and an economic engine behind French loans to the American cause."

"The United States might never have come into existence were it not for Saint Domingue, Haiti's French predecessor"

"France supported the American Revolution in part to protect its island jewel [Haiti] from a British takeover"

It was the "vast sums pouring into France from Saint Domingue [Haiti] at exactly the same time [The American Revolution that] made foreign aid to the New World [The United States] a distinctly more attractive option... "

"...the entire enterprise rested on the backs of the men and women whose labor powered it [The Haitian People]"

One interesting comment about the article is that of JL which states:

"Let's not forget that the Haitian revolution led directly to France selling the Louisiana Territories to the US - a favor we returned by embargoing the newly independent nation [Haiti]. So we have a double, no triple debt to Haiti."

Question:

How much does the United States really owe to Haiti?

Write a comment   |   Read 7 Comments

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Responses

Loolee3 says...

loolee3, emmece est tout le contraire du "low impact" il y a beaucoup de sauts au contraire... et biensur rien a voir avec la danse qui est more »

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Josy says...

I notice that a couple of replies (1&2) make absolutely no sense, and full of errors. I suggest that you read the article carefully, and more »

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Ernst Pierre says...

we all needs to stop this crapes about who owe us and who don't,how can you demands respect when you don't respect your self your country no more »

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Codo says...

Nothing new!!! Haiti did'nt help hell, the french did for polical purpose, for their own polical interest at the time. Haiti as we know it is more »

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Peter says...

If I were you i would not have worded it like that. It is not just the US that dont do anything because of good heart. Let me ask you this more »

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Turenne Jean-francois says...

This is true, and allso is now to late to claim anything from the USA, because at least 90% of our politician give their allegence to united more »

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Anny says...

I am happy to see someone remembered what Haiti did for the USA, but they will never think they own us because when they say they gonna help more »

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