Assassin’s Creed: Freedom Cry reminds us of an often overlooked turning point in history: the Haitian Revolution, when the slaves of Haiti overthrew their masters and the might of the French, British and Spanish militaries to create their own state. But this remarkable achievement was overshadowed by the American and French Revolutions, and has traditionally been viewed as just a byproduct of those famous rebellions. When did the Haitian Revolution take place? How did the slaves defeat both Napoleon's army and the British Empire? How did pirates influence the course of Haiti's history?

To learn more about what Haiti was like in the 18th century, and the key people and moments of the Haitian Revolution, Matt Lewis is joined by Dr Erica Johnson, author of Philanthropy and Race in the Haitian Revolution, and contributor to the Universities Studying Slavery consortium, a huge research project to uncover and understand the links of US universities’ history with slavery.

Listen to how the American Revolution and French Revolution started with the Battles of Lexington & Concord and the Storming of the Bastille.

Echoes of History is a Ubisoft podcast, brought to you by History Hit. Watch these interviews and exclusive videos on our YouTube channel.

Hosted by: Matt Lewis

Edited by: Robin McConnell

Produced by: Robin McConnell

Senior Producer: Anne-Marie Luff

Production Manager: Beth Donaldson

Executive Producers: Etienne Bouvier, Julien Fabre, Steve Lanham, Jen Bennett

Music:

False Paradise by Olivier Deriviere

The Storm by Olivier Deriviere

Ounsi by Olivier Deriviere

If you liked this podcast please subscribe, share, rate & review. Take part in our listener survey here.

Tell us your favourite Assassin's Creed game or podcast episode at [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.