The revolt destroyed 184 plantations in its first eight days

Evidence

The insurgents of 1791 were enormously diverse—women and men, African-born and creole, overseer and fieldworker, slaves on mountain coffee plantations and sugar plantations—and carried with them many different motivations, hopes, and histories. Using violence against a violent system, they shattered the economy of one of the richest regions of the world. During the first eight days of the insurrection they destroyed 184 plantations; by late September over 200 had been attacked, and “all of the plantations within fifty miles of either side of le Cap had been reduced to ashes and smoke.” In addition, almost 1,200 coffee plantations in the mountains surrounding the plain had been sacked. According to one observer, “one can count as many rebel camps as there were plantations.” Estimates of the numbers of insurgents varied widely, but by the end of September there were at least 20,000, and by some estimates up to 80,000, in the insurgent camps. — Dubois, Laurent, Avengers of the New World_ The Story of…, 386

Categorization

Category: Factual Claims

Related

• The 1791 insurgency mobilized at least 20,000 rebels within weeks (similarity 0.96)
• Sugar-plantation slaves were angrier and more prone to rebel than mountain coffee slaves (similarity 0.81)
• Sugar-plantation slaves proved far more enraged in 1791 revolt. (similarity 0.81)
• The 1791 insurrection quickly destroyed over 200 plantations and gathered 20,000 to 80,000 insurgents. (similarity 0.80)
• The uprising so depleted plantations that surviving whites had to rent other people’s slaves (similarity 0.79)
• The rebel slave force grew from 2,000 to 10,000 men within four days (similarity 0.79)
• Launching the revolt early likely cost the insurgents a larger success. (similarity 0.79)
• White planters abandoned ruined plantations whose slaves had joined the insurgency. (similarity 0.79)
• The August 1791 insurrection burned the Gallifet plantations to the ground (similarity 0.79)