Slavery During the French Revolution

• French slavery was defined by the Le Code Noir ou le calvaire de Canaan (“The Black Code or the Ordeal of Canaan”). It was the bylaws for how slaves could be treated.

• In the Black Code, it describes in full detail how slaves were to be brought up Catholic, given Sundays and religious holidays off, clothed/fed/taken care of in general, and even earn their own freedom. 

• Slavery was first abolished in France during the Reign of Terror on February 4, 1794. Relatively no one abided by the law, and slavery was “reinstated” by Napoleon in 1802.

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More Resources:

https://www.pbs.org/marieantoinette/timeline/reign.html

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https://blogs.loc.gov/law/2011/01/slavery-in-the-french-colonies/