or freedom; they could have no property; harsh punishments were provided for, but families could not be separated by sale except in the case of grown children; emancipation with full civil rights was made possible for any slave twenty years of age or more.  When Louisiana was settled and the Alabama coast, slaves were introduced there.  Louisiana was transferred to Spain in 1762, against the resistance of both settlers and slaves, but Spain took possession in 1769 and introduced more Negroes.

Later, in Hayti, a more liberal policy encouraged trade; war was over and capital and slaves poured in.  Sugar, coffee, chocolate, indigo, dyes, and spices were raised.  There were large numbers of mulattoes, many of whom were educated in France, and many masters married Negro women who had inherited large properties, just as in the United States to-day white men are marrying eagerly the landed Indian women in the West.  When white immigration increased in 1749, however, prejudice arose against these mulattoes and severe laws were passed depriving them of civil rights, entrance into the professions, and the right to hold office; severe edicts were enforced as to clothing, names, and social intercourse.  Finally, after 1777, mulattoes were forbidden to come to France.

When the French Revolution broke out, the Haytians managed to send two delegates to Paris.  Nevertheless the planters maintained the upper hand, and one of the colored delegates, Oge, on returning, started a small rebellion.  He and his companions were killed with great brutality.  This led the French government to grant full civil rights to free Negroes, Immediately planters and free Negroes flew to arms against each other and then, suddenly, August 22, 1791, the black slaves, of whom there were four hundred and fifty-two thousand, arose in revolt to help the free Negroes.

For many years runaway slaves had hidden in the mountains under their own chiefs.  One of the earliest of these chiefs was Polydor, in 1724, who was succeeded by Macandal.  The great chief of these runaways or “Maroons” at the time of the slave revolt was Jean Francois, who was soon succeeded by Biassou.

Pierre Dominic Toussaint, known as Toussaint L’Ouverture, joined these Maroon bands, where he was called “the doctor of the armies of the king,” and soon became chief aid to Jean Francois and Biassou.  Upon their deaths Toussaint rose to the chief command.  He acquired complete control over the blacks, not only in military matters, but in politics and social organization; “the soldiers regarded him as a superior being, and the farmers prostrated themselves before him.  All his generals trembled before him (Dessalines did not dare to look in his face), and all the world trembled before his generals."[82]