In contrast, the immediate causes of the Haitian Revolution are attributed to specific events that occurred in the late 18th century. These include:
1. Toussaint Louverture: The rise of Toussaint Louverture, a former slave who gained military prominence during the rebellion and became a key leader of the Haitian Revolution.
2. Ogé's Rebellion: In 1791, a revolt organized by a free person of color named Vincent Ogé protested the harsh treatment of free people of color. This rebellion, although unsuccessful, fueled tensions between the enslaved population and the white planters.
3. French Revolutionary ideals: The spread of Enlightenment ideas, inspired by the French Revolution of 1789, encouraged Haitian slaves and free people of color to demand equality and rights they were denied under French colonial rule.
4. Tensions between white colonists and French royal officials: Disputes between white colonists and the French colonial administration added complexity to the situation, fostering divisions within the colony.
5. British Involvement: The British occupied Saint-Domingue in 1793 as they sought to exploit the turmoil within the colony, further complicating the already volatile situation.
These immediate events, combined with the long-simmering grievances, ignited the Haitian Revolution and shaped its course, leading to the eventual overthrow of French rule and the establishment of an independent Haitian state.