Description
Book SynopsisThis book provides a history of the French Revolution in Martinique and Guadeloupe from 1789 to 1802. Examining political conflict between white factions, as well as economic, social, and racial tensions, it argues that metropolitan news, ideas, language, and political culture played a key role in shaping the colonial revolution.
Trade Review"Cormack’s book sheds important light on the revolutionary era in the Windward Islands and serves as a foundation for future studies examining the complicated, shifting alliances that transcended race, class, and even legal status during this tumultuous period." -- Rebecca Hartkopf Schloss *
New West Indian Guide *
"Among the many strengths of Patriots, Royalists, and Terrorists in the West Indies is Cormack’s detailed account of how the revolutionary script from France was reinterpreted by various factions in the Windward Islands as they claimed national legitimacy and struggled for political power. This approach brings into focus the myriad and often contradicting ways in which Martinique and Guadeloupe absorbed and remade revolutionary political culture." -- Deirdre T. Lyons, University of Chicago *
Histoire sociale / Social History *
Table of ContentsList of Illustrations and Maps Acknowledgments Introduction 1. The Windward Islands on the Eve of Revolution 2. Rumours of Revolution: The Impact of 1789 in Martinique and Guadeloupe 3. Patriots versus Aristocrats: The Coming of Civil War, 1789–1790 4. "The Nation, the Law, the King": The Liberal Revolution’s Failure in the Windward Islands, 1791 5. Counter-Revolution: The Revolt of Martinique and Guadeloupe, 1792–1793 6. The Slave-Holding Republic in the Windward Islands, 1793–1794 7. Reign of Terror: Victor Hugues’s Regime in Guadeloupe, 1794–1798 8. Return of the Old Regime: Martinique under British Occupation, 1794–1802 Conclusion Notes Bibliography Index
