You Say You Want A Revolution? Diverging Consequences Of The French Revolution On French Caribbean Slave Societies.

Summary

The late 18th century was a period of tremendous social and political upheaval throughout the Atlantic World, as revolution wracked the British colonies of North America, leading to the establishment of the United States.  The American Revolution in turn inspired the French Revolution, with far-reaching impacts throughout the Americas, including the abolition of slavery in some colonies, revolution in other colonies, and a degree of stasis in yet other French colonies.  All of these outcomes had a significant impact on the lives and futures of nearly three quarters of a million enslaved people of African origin or descent.  Archaeological research in a number of these French colonial settings is shedding insights into the ways in which people of African origin negotiated the revolutionary upheavals of the time.  This paper explores some of the results of this archaeological work to shed light on this revolutionary period.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• The Archaeology of the French in the New World   •
• Society for Historical Archaeology 2018

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Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology

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PaperId(s): 324