In this episode, we wrap up the story of the Haitian Revolution. Toussaint Louverture consolidated power in the colony and drafted a new Constitution, in response to which Napoleon sent a massive French to bring Saint-Domingue back under French control. Much like the British before them, the French troops were decimated by yellow fever and so were not strong enough to put down the revolt that broke out when it was discovered that Napoleon planned to reimpose slavery in the colony.
We also discuss yellow fever virus, including the disease it causes, how it came to the Americas, and the mosquito that vectors it.
Engraving of Toussaint Louverture by J. Barry, published by James Cundee, after M. Rainsford line engraving, published circa 1800-1825. Via the National Portrait Gallery (NPG D15719), used under a CC BY-NC-ND 3.0 license.
Portrait of General Gabriel-Marie-Théodore-Joseph, comte d'Hédouville by Jean-Baptiste Paulin Guérin (1835). Via wikimedia, in the public domain.
Sketch of General Hédouville by an unknown artist. Via wikimedia, in the public domain
Sketch of André Rigaud by an unknown artist. Via wikimedia, in the public domain.
The Constitution of Year VIII, which stated that the colonies would be ruled by "special laws". Via wikimedia, in the public domain.
The Constitution of Saint-Domingue (1801), which installed Toussaint Louverture as governor for life. Via wikimedia, in the public domain.
Engraving of General Charles Victoire Emmanuel Leclerc by Jean-Baptiste Réville in "France militaire: histoire des armées françaises de terre et de mer de 1792 à 1837" (1838) by A. Hugo. Via
wikimedia, in the public domain.
Painting of General Leclerc by François Kinson (1804). Via
wikimedia, in the public domain.
Polish legionaries in Saint Domingue, by January Suchodolski (1854). Via
wikimedia, in the public domain.
Public mural of Jean Jaques Dessalines in Port-au-Prince. Via
wikimedia, in the public domain.
Engraving of Jean Jaques Dessalines in "Dictionnaire géographique et administratif universel d'Haïti" (1892) by S. Rouzier. Original held and digitized by the British Library. Via
wikimedia, in the public domain.
Portrait of Henry I, King of Haiti (Henri Chrisophe), probably by Johann Gottfried Eiffe (1817). Via
wikimedia, in the public domain.
Engraving of Henri Christophe in "Dictionnaire géographique et administratif universel d'Haïti" (1892) by S. Rouzier. Original held and digitized by the British Library. Via
wikimedia, in the public domain.
Yellow fever mosquito (
Aedes aegypti), the vector of
yellow fever virus. Photograph by Muhammad Mahdi Karim, via
wikimedia, used under a GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2.
Yellow fever mosquito feeding on a human. Photograph by James Gathany, CDC. Via
wikimedia, in the public domain.
Transmission cycles of yellow fever. Graphic via the
CDC, in the public domain.
Illustration of a man sick with yellow fever, from the broadside "'Death of Aurelio Caballero due to yellow fever in Veracruz" (1892) by José Guadalupe Posada. Via
wikimedia, in the public domain.
The Louisiana Territory, which Napoleon sold to the United States after he lost the colony of Saint-Domingue and abandoned his plans of a Caribbean-based empire. Graphic by William Morris via
Wikimedia, used under a CC BY-SA 4.0 license.
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Beginning/ending theme: "There It Is" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
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