World History (2/4) Do Now: The

Louisiana Purchase was one of the most influential moments in American History. What role did blacks play in this influential purchase?

Toussaint L’Ouverture Born into slavery in Haiti (1743)

Haiti-French colony Sugar plantations

Educated Freed at age 33 When French Revolution breaks

out, blacks claim to be French citizens with rights

Toussaint leads a successful revolt (first and only victorious slave revolt in history) Defeats French army and later

British and Spanish armies Establishes a constitution Captured and taken back to

France (dies there in prison)

Impact on LA Purchase? Napoleon forced to sell

territory to US to pay for debts from Toussaint’s slave revolt

“I was born a slave, but nature gave me the soul of a free man.” Toussaint Louverture

How would you describe Toussaint’s importance to World History?

World History (2/5) Do Now: Partner

discussion question (do NOT write this question down-discussion only): Who is this man? What is he most

known for?

Haile Selassie Ethiopian emperor (1930-

1974) Traced his family line all the

way back to King Solomon Originally called Tafari

Hakkonen (son of Ras) Changed name to Haile

Selassie (Might of the Trinity) Strong ruler who resisted

European invasion of his country (Italy-1936)

Worked hard to modernize his country and protect the rights of Ethiopians

The Rastafarians Started in Jamaica Strong tradition of fighting against European

oppression Slaves here were said to be too rebellious to

complete the middle passage Many connected to Ethiopian’s Christian

tradition Leonard Howell- began preaching that a new

black king, crowned in Ethiopia, is the second coming of Christ and is the Living God of black people. This king, once known as Ras (chief) Tafari, has been crowned Emperor Haile Selassie I. Howell’s theories of black supremacy and redemption resonated with the impoverished and abandoned masses that gathered in crowds of hundreds for Ras Tafari meetings.

Excerpted from: https://afonorow.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/lis-627-annotated-bibliography.pdf

A quote…and a song “Until the philosophy which holds one race superior and

another inferior is finally and permanently discredited and abandoned - well, everywhere there's war. And until the basic human rights are equally guaranteed to all without regard to race - it's a war. And until there's no longer first-class or second-class citizens of any nation... Until the color of a man's skin is of no more significance than the color of his eyes - it's a war. Until that day the dream of lasting peace, world citizenship, and a rule of international morality will remain in but a fleeting illusion to be pursued, but never attained.” ― Haile Selassie I

Why do you think black people around the globe connected with these ideas?