The primary cause of the Haitian Revolution was the desire for freedom and independence from French colonial rule. Enslaved Africans and free people of color in Saint-Domingue (modern-day Haiti) sought to overthrow an oppressive system characterized by brutal slavery and economic exploitation. Inspired by ideas of liberty from the French Revolution, the revolution began in 1791, resulting in the establishment of Haiti as the first independent black-led republic in 1804. This revolutionary struggle had significant implications for slavery and colonialism, inspiring other liberation movements throughout the Americas.