Haiti Independence Day

This day commemorates the declaration of independence from France in 1804. The French first settled in the western part of the island in the 16th century. In the Haitian Revolution began when slaves and some free people of colour began a rebellion against French authority. The rebellion was abated when the French abolished slavery in the colony in 1793. But Toussaint Louverture had grown powerful during the rebellion and in 1801 he drafted a new constitution. Napoloeon sent 20000 troops to restore French authority and Louvrture was captured and deported to France in 102, where he died a year after. Jean-Jacques Dessalines, a lieutenant to Louverture, then took the leadership of the revolution, defeating French troops at the Battle of Vertieres on 18th November 1803. This led to the French withdrawing its remaining 7000 troops and on 1st January the following year, the island was declared as a free republic, renaming it Haiti after its indigenous name.