Haiti's current government was instigated in 1987. It is a semi-presidential republic,
where the president is the head of state and is directly elected by
popular vote. The Prime minister is head of government and is appointed
by the president by the majority party in the national assembly,
Legislative power is given to both the government and the two chambers
of the National Assembly of Haiti. The central government moderates the
power for all of the departments. Haiti's form of government is a Republic
 | Government when Haiti was a colony When Haiti was a colony it's name was, the St. Dominique colony. At the time, France ruled over them as imperialists. The black colonists were oppressed and discriminated against by the mulatto population. <-------Haiti being rebuilt after the earthquake |
Government after Haiti achieved independence:
Jean-Pierre Boyer was president of Haiti after its government was established. Boyer had a huge corrupt army and a civil service that constantly abused the population. The gap between the black peasants and the mulattoes grew while Boyer was president. The corruption of Boyer’s rule and the slow economic growth of the economy led to a rebellion in 1843 that forced Boyer to flee to Jamaica and then to Paris.
Jean-Pierre Boyer was president of Haiti after its government was established. Boyer had a huge corrupt army and a civil service that constantly abused the population. The gap between the black peasants and the mulattoes grew while Boyer was president. The corruption of Boyer’s rule and the slow economic growth of the economy led to a rebellion in 1843 that forced Boyer to flee to Jamaica and then to Paris.
 This is the Haiti National Palace after the earthquake.
This is where the president of Haiti resides. It was built in the early
1800's but the model has changed overtime. It was the home to the
governor general of St. Dominique
| This is just some of the destruction after Hurricane Sandy hit Haiti
|
Currently Haiti is not very stable due to the hurricane that hit it in 2008, before 1987 they could not decide on a type of government and many of the leader fought violently for power. Now they are slowly recovering, although smaller natural disasters have occurred and slowed the progress they are still recovering. Since being colonized Haiti Has become a much more stable country and has created its own type of government as well as laws.
Check the definition of the underlined words----------->HERE
Critical Thinking Questions:
What was Haiti called when it was colonized?
What do you think it was like living in Haiti during all of the natural disasters?
Answer to driving Question:
To better understand other cultures you can look up information about them and put yourself in their position. To help others learn about cultures encourage them to search for more information about that culture. Learning about new cultures and their mistakes will help us to avoid making our own mistakes.
©Stephanie Dahmen
To better understand other cultures you can look up information about them and put yourself in their position. To help others learn about cultures encourage them to search for more information about that culture. Learning about new cultures and their mistakes will help us to avoid making our own mistakes.
©Stephanie Dahmen
Finally Free, A personal Narrative
Running, running, running, that's all I could do, run. I had just escaped a slave labor plantation factory, I had slipped out the door when the guards weren't looking. I just started running, I could see cover a place where I could hide for a while and the whites’ couldn't catch him. As I was about to dive into the cover of the forest I heard one of the guards call, “He’s running, one of them is running!”. My heart pounded in his ears as I ran, if it was possible I pushed my legs to run faster, I commanded his body not to give out. Not until I was safe. Everything was a blur as I ran, my bare feet pounded on the ground. He could feel the rocks dig into my skin, but I was oblivious to the pain. Freedom was so close a small thing like pain wasn't going to stop me. A musket fired from the distance, “What?” I thought, “they never fire at slaves that are trying to escape!” Just then I broke through the forest line and quickly looked about for a tree that would hide me well. They wouldn't expect me to be there. “There” I thought. Where I was looking stood a tree about nine feet to the top and the leaves would make a perfect cover. I quickly climbed the tree, which didn't take much since I, and almost all of the Haitians, were bone skinny and agile. All was quiet when I finally settled down in a way that I wouldn't be easily seen. I waited for what seemed like hours but was in fact only a couple moments. When I heard some rustling in the brush. I held my breath, didn't make any movements. A man emerged but he wasn't white, it was the slave that had escaped a couple months before. “Come out we have to go, before they come back.” he called to me. I jumped down from my hiding spot and followed into the trees where the man had disappeared. As I walked behind the man, I thought “I was a maroon now. Its what I have been waiting for, to be free.” Then I realized he wasn't free, not yet. There was still the risk of being captured again. I had to play my part in overthrowing the french that were ruthlessly ruling the whole colony. I was snapped out of my thought when the man, whose name I still didn't know, yelled at me, “get down! They’re coming”. Just as a bullet whizzed by my head. The shooter from before hadn't given up he had called in more people. There was no escaping this, we would surely die here. And just when I thought things were looking better, at least better than how he was treated in the colony.I glanced at the man that was lying next to me, he looked determined. He looked like he had been in the same situation many times before, this man would be of much more use to the uprisings that were bound to happen. Making a snap decision I got to my feet and told the man to stay there. Without warning I took off running, drawing the fire of the soldiers to me as I ran away from the man. When I was far enough away I shouted to the man, “Run!”. The man did as I said, he looked grateful that a stranger he barely knew had just saved his life. I had run a good distance before fatigue got to me. I stopped abruptly and turned towards my pursuers and ran at them. They looked surprised but still fired their muskets at me. One shot hit me in the chest and another hit me in the shoulder. Most of the other shots missed, but two was enough. The shot to my chest pierced an organ and an artery. I lay on the ground bleeding out as the soldiers surrounded me, and I couldn’t help but think as the life drained out of me. I was finally free, free knowing I had saved a man's life, a man who could possibly help end many peoples suffering. I was Finally free.
By Stephanie Dahmen
