What was the impact of the French Revolution on slavery?

One of the most important characteristics of the French Revolution was the fact that it encouraged the idea of equality among men. This gave rise to the idea that all men were created equal, and therefore, all men deserved the same rights and freedoms.

This had an important impact on slavery. Many people began to question why Black people were considered inferior, and whether it was fair for them to be enslaved. These ideas also gave rise to slave revolts in the Caribbean, the most important of these being the one in Saint Domingue.

On May 15, 1790, the National Assembly granted political rights to all free blacks and mulattos who were born to free parents. After further protests, slavery was ended in all colonies on February 4, 1794. However, when Napoleon came to power, he reinstated slavery in the colonies.