The 1805 Constitution of Haiti
by Jean-Jacques Dessalines · Constitution impériale d'Haïti
Assigned by 1 of the 9 reading lists, catalogue entry only
- Written
- 1805
- Language
- French
- Length
- Short · 15 ppunder 120 pages
- Difficulty
- Approachable1 of 5 for a first-year reader
We recommendThe Haitian Revolution: A Documentary HistoryHackett, 2014David Geggus's collection translates the constitution alongside the other key documents of the revolution.
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The first constitution of independent Haiti, issued under Jean-Jacques Dessalines, who had been proclaimed emperor. It abolishes slavery forever, forbids any white man from owning property in Haiti, declares that all Haitians regardless of colour shall be known as black, establishes freedom of worship, and grants the emperor sweeping powers including the right to name his successor. It is the earliest modern constitution founded on the outlawing of slavery.
No reading guide yet
The catalogue entry above is complete: the dates, the form, the themes and every program that assigns The 1805 Constitution of Haiti are verified against each program's published list.
What is missing is the part that takes real work: the summary, the key passages, and a recommended translation. The edition named below is the one most programs assign, so the buy links are useful already.