Research Paper Introduction I am writing a research paper on the cultural history of Martinique and the influence that African slaves had and the islands unique geography have on its culture and history. Martinique is an overseas Territorial collectivity of France. It has the same political status as homeland regions in France. After the Napoleonic wars, the island was given back to the French in 1845. During this period, the use of slaves on the island continued which led to an increased number of slaves in Martinique. This resulted in multiple slave uprisings with the most famous being the ones in 1816 and 1848. The French minister of foreign territories, Victor Schoelcher, abolished slavery in the French Antilles in 1848. The freed slaves made up a large percentage of the population and led to the blend of African and French culture that Martinique has today. In my research, I will try to prove that these events are what led to the ble