The Haitian Revolution from 1791 to 1804 resulted in the establishment of Haiti as an independent nation, the first successful slave revolt and black republic in the world. The Haitian people rebelled against French colonial rule and slavery, burning plantations and killing many white and mixed-race people. Though Haiti gained independence, it later fell into poverty and instability. Women's rights began emerging alongside the abolition of slavery in the late 18th century, with the first women's rights conference held in 1848 drafting a statement echoing the Declaration of Independence. The industrial revolution created a growing middle class of professionals and business owners but also a large laboring class that suffered poor living and working conditions in crowded cities with few services