Reinstatement of slavery by Napoleon

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The reinstatement of slavery by Napoleon refers to a series of texts and military events between 1802 and 1804 that restored slavery in French colonies and France's involvement in the Atlantic slave trade during the early years of Napoleon's rule, thus repealing the decree of 4 February 1794 that had abolished slavery in all colonies during the French Revolution. Among the notable texts signed by Napoleon were the law of 20 May 1802, which maintained slavery in the colonies of Martinique, Tobago, and Saint Lucia. These colonies, returned to France by Britain under the terms of the Treaty of Amiens, had not applied the 1794 abolition decree due to the refusal of local French colonists, who signed the Whitehall Accord with Britain instead. Napoleon also issued the consular decrees of 16 July 1802 and 7 December 1802, which reinstated slavery in Guadeloupe and Cayenne respectively (previously two of the three territories where abolition was effective). In Réunion and Isle de France, Napoleon...

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