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Study Guide: The Parsley Massacre: Historical Context and Consequences

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The Parsley Massacre: Historical Context and Consequences Study Guide

The Parsley Massacre: Chronology and Scope

The event known as the Parsley Massacre, also referred to as 'el corte', transpired over a distinct seven-day period in early October 1937.

Answer: True

Explanation: The Parsley Massacre, also known by its Spanish name 'el corte', was a mass killing of Haitians living in the Dominican Republic that occurred over a precise period of seven days, from October 2 to October 8, 1937.

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The Parsley Massacre was primarily confined to the capital city of the Dominican Republic.

Answer: False

Explanation: The Parsley Massacre occurred predominantly in the Dominican Republic's northwestern frontier and adjacent areas of the Cibao region, rather than being confined to the capital city.

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What was the Parsley Massacre, also known as 'el corte'?

Answer: A mass killing of Haitians living in the Dominican Republic ordered by dictator Rafael Trujillo.

Explanation: The Parsley Massacre, also known as 'el corte', was a systematic extermination of Haitians residing within the Dominican Republic, orchestrated by dictator Rafael Trujillo.

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During what time period did the Parsley Massacre primarily take place?

Answer: October 2 to October 8, 1937

Explanation: The Parsley Massacre occurred over a specific seven-day period, commencing on October 2, 1937, and concluding on October 8, 1937.

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Which region was the primary location for the Parsley Massacre?

Answer: The Dominican Republic's northwestern frontier and parts of the Cibao region.

Explanation: The primary geographical focus of the Parsley Massacre was the northwestern frontier of the Dominican Republic, extending into certain contiguous areas of the Cibao region.

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Ideological Underpinnings and Trujillo's Directives

Rafael Trujillo, the Dominican dictator, personally led the Dominican Army troops during the Parsley Massacre.

Answer: False

Explanation: While Rafael Trujillo ordered the Parsley Massacre, he did not personally lead the troops. The directive was carried out by the Dominican Army under his command.

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The stated motive for the massacre was Trujillo's desire to annex Haitian territory.

Answer: False

Explanation: The primary stated motive for the Parsley Massacre was Rafael Trujillo's policy of Antihaitianismo and anti-black racism, reportedly triggered by complaints of cattle and crop theft by Haitians, rather than territorial annexation.

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Trujillo's ultimate goal was to foster a unified, ethnically homogenous Dominican Republic.

Answer: True

Explanation: A primary objective of Rafael Trujillo in orchestrating the Parsley Massacre was to homogenize the Dominican Republic, particularly its border regions, by expelling the Haitian population and integrating the areas socially and politically.

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Dominican citizens complained to Trujillo about Haitians stealing their livestock and crops.

Answer: True

Explanation: Complaints from Dominican borderland residents regarding 'depredations by Haitians living among them,' specifically mentioning thefts of cattle, provisions, and fruits, were cited by Trujillo as a justification for the massacre.

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Antihaitianismo refers to a political ideology supporting Haitian cultural integration within the Dominican Republic.

Answer: False

Explanation: Antihaitianismo is an ideology characterized by hostility, discrimination, and prejudice against Haitians and Haitian culture within the Dominican Republic, not support for integration.

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Who was directly responsible for ordering the Parsley Massacre?

Answer: Dominican dictator Rafael Trujillo

Explanation: The Parsley Massacre was carried out under the direct command and orders of the Dominican dictator Rafael Trujillo, who was a proponent of Antihaitianismo.

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What was the primary underlying ideology that fueled the Parsley Massacre?

Answer: Anti-Haitianism and anti-black racism

Explanation: The Parsley Massacre was fundamentally fueled by Antihaitianismo, a pervasive ideology of anti-black racism and hostility directed towards Haitians within the Dominican Republic.

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What was Rafael Trujillo's overarching objective in orchestrating the Parsley Massacre?

Answer: To integrate the borderlands and expel the Haitian population.

Explanation: Trujillo's primary objective was to consolidate control over the borderlands, integrate them into the Dominican Republic, and systematically expel the Haitian population, thereby advancing his vision of an ethnically homogenous nation.

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Methods, Violence, and Demographic Impact

During the Parsley Massacre, the Dominican Army exclusively used machetes and knives.

Answer: False

Explanation: The Dominican Army employed a range of weapons during the Parsley Massacre, including Krag rifles, machetes, shovels, knives, and bayonets, not exclusively bladed instruments.

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All historical estimates place the death toll of the Parsley Massacre between 17,000 and 20,000 individuals.

Answer: False

Explanation: Historical estimates for the death toll of the Parsley Massacre vary significantly, with some sources suggesting figures between 17,000 and 35,000, and others ranging from 14,000 to 40,000.

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The Parsley Massacre resulted in the near-total elimination of the Haitian population from the Dominican frontier.

Answer: True

Explanation: The Parsley Massacre led to the killing or forced flight of nearly the entire Haitian population residing in the Dominican frontier regions, drastically reducing their presence.

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The Dajabón River provided a safe passage for Haitians fleeing the Dominican Republic.

Answer: False

Explanation: The Dajabón River, which forms part of the border, did not provide safe passage; many Haitians attempting to flee across it were pursued and killed by Dominican troops.

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Historian Lauren Derby argued that the victims were exclusively Haitian nationals who had recently crossed the border.

Answer: False

Explanation: Historian Lauren Derby contended that a significant number of victims were born in the Dominican Republic and were part of established communities, challenging the notion that they were solely recent border crossers.

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The Parsley Massacre is classified by some sources as a genocide due to its systematic nature.

Answer: True

Explanation: The Parsley Massacre is considered a genocide by some scholars due to the systematic intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, or racial group, aligning with the definition of genocide.

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Haitian historian Jean Price-Mars recorded approximately 5,000 injuries resulting from the massacre.

Answer: False

Explanation: Haitian historian Jean Price-Mars recorded approximately 2,419 injuries resulting from the Parsley Massacre, not 5,000.

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The massacre potentially resulted in the deaths of less than 10% of the Haitian population residing in the Dominican Republic.

Answer: False

Explanation: The massacre potentially resulted in the deaths of between 23% and 60% of the Haitian population residing in the Dominican Republic, indicating a devastating impact far exceeding 10%.

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The Dominican Republic had a population of roughly 1 million inhabitants in 1935.

Answer: False

Explanation: The provided text indicates that the Dominican Republic had a population of approximately 10 million inhabitants in 1935, not 1 million.

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The Dominican Army primarily deployed soldiers from the border regions to carry out the massacre.

Answer: False

Explanation: The Dominican Army predominantly deployed soldiers from areas outside the northwestern frontier and Cibao regions, likely to ensure less personal connection to the victims and greater adherence to orders.

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Alcohol consumption was reportedly used by Dominican soldiers to help them carry out the brutal acts of the massacre.

Answer: True

Explanation: According to reports from U.S. legation informants, many Dominican soldiers consumed alcohol to overcome inhibitions and perform the 'ghastly slaughter,' suggesting its use to facilitate the brutal acts.

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The statistic indicating 23%-60% of the Haitian population in the DR was killed highlights the event's limited impact.

Answer: False

Explanation: The statistic indicating that 23%-60% of the Haitian population in the Dominican Republic was killed underscores the catastrophic and devastating impact of the Parsley Massacre, not a limited one.

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Which of the following was NOT among the weapons used by the Dominican Army during the massacre?

Answer: Submachine guns

Explanation: The Dominican Army utilized Krag rifles, machetes, shovels, and bayonets during the massacre. Submachine guns are not listed among the primary weapons employed.

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What is the most commonly cited range for the estimated death toll of the Parsley Massacre?

Answer: Between 17,000 and 35,000

Explanation: Estimates for the death toll of the Parsley Massacre commonly range between 17,000 and 35,000 individuals, although other figures also exist.

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How did the massacre significantly alter the Haitian population in the Dominican frontier?

Answer: It resulted in the killing or forced flight of nearly the entire Haitian population in the region.

Explanation: The massacre drastically reduced the Haitian presence in the Dominican frontier, compelling nearly the entire population either to flee into Haiti or perish.

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What happened to many Haitians attempting to flee across the Dajabón River?

Answer: They were pursued and killed by Dominican troops.

Explanation: Many Haitians attempting to escape across the Dajabón River were intercepted and killed by Dominican troops, contributing to the high death toll.

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Which historian claimed that many victims of the massacre were actually born in the Dominican Republic?

Answer: Lauren Derby

Explanation: Historian Lauren Derby argued that a significant portion of the victims were born in the Dominican Republic, challenging the narrative that they were solely recent migrants.

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What evidence confirmed the direct involvement of the Dominican Army in the massacre?

Answer: Analysis of bullets from Krag rifles found in victims.

Explanation: The discovery of bullets from Krag rifles in the bodies of victims provided conclusive evidence of the Dominican Army's direct involvement, as these weapons were exclusively accessible to Dominican soldiers.

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Why is the Parsley Massacre sometimes classified as genocide?

Answer: Because it was a systematic attempt to destroy, in whole or in part, an ethnic group.

Explanation: The Parsley Massacre is classified as genocide due to the systematic nature of the killings, which aimed at the destruction, in whole or in part, of the targeted Haitian ethnic group.

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What percentage of the Dominican Republic's Haitian population may have been killed during the massacre?

Answer: Between 23% and 60%

Explanation: Estimates suggest that between 23% and 60% of the Haitian population residing in the Dominican Republic at the time may have been killed during the Parsley Massacre.

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Nomenclature and Identification Practices

The name 'Parsley Massacre' originates from the Dominican soldiers' use of parsley as a symbol of national identity.

Answer: False

Explanation: The name 'Parsley Massacre' is derived from a linguistic test, or shibboleth, where soldiers allegedly asked civilians to pronounce the Spanish word for parsley ('perejil') to identify Haitians.

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Scholars widely accept the 'parsley' shibboleth story as a historically accurate account of identification methods.

Answer: False

Explanation: Most scholars consider the 'parsley' shibboleth story to be mythical or legendary, rather than a historically accurate description of the primary identification method used during the massacre.

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'Kout kouto-a' is the Spanish name for the Parsley Massacre, meaning 'the cutting'.

Answer: False

Explanation: 'Kout kouto-a' is the Haitian Creole name for the massacre, meaning 'the stabbing' or 'the knife'. The Spanish name is 'el corte', meaning 'the cutting'.

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The Spanish word 'perejil' is phonetically simple for native Haitian Creole speakers.

Answer: False

Explanation: The Spanish word 'perejil' presents pronunciation challenges for speakers of French and Haitian Creole due to differences in phonetics, particularly concerning the 'r' and 'j' sounds, making it a difficult word for them to articulate correctly.

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The term 'kout kouto-a' refers to the massacre in Spanish and signifies 'the cutting'.

Answer: False

Explanation: The term 'kout kouto-a' is Haitian Creole for 'the stabbing' or 'the knife', not Spanish. The Spanish term is 'el corte', meaning 'the cutting'.

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The popular name 'Parsley Massacre' is derived from what?

Answer: A linguistic test involving the pronunciation of the word 'parsley'.

Explanation: The name 'Parsley Massacre' originates from a linguistic test, or shibboleth, where the pronunciation of the Spanish word 'perejil' (parsley) was allegedly used to identify Haitians.

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What is the scholarly consensus regarding the 'parsley' shibboleth story?

Answer: Most scholars believe it to be mythical or legendary.

Explanation: The scholarly consensus is that the 'parsley' shibboleth story, while popular, is largely mythical or legendary and not historically accurate as the primary method of identification.

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Which of the following is an alternative name for the Parsley Massacre?

Answer: Kout kouto-a

Explanation: 'Kout kouto-a', the Haitian Creole term meaning 'the stabbing' or 'the knife', is one of the alternative names used to refer to the Parsley Massacre.

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What does the Haitian Creole name 'kout kouto-a' signify in relation to the massacre?

Answer: The stabbing or the knife

Explanation: The Haitian Creole term 'kout kouto-a' translates to 'the stabbing' or 'the knife', reflecting the violent methods employed during the massacre.

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International Diplomacy and Post-Massacre Negotiations

Rafael Trujillo delivered a speech on October 2, 1937, explicitly denying any anti-Haitian sentiments within his government.

Answer: False

Explanation: In his October 2, 1937 speech, Rafael Trujillo did not deny anti-Haitian sentiments; instead, he signaled his intent to address complaints about Haitian depredations, effectively initiating the massacre.

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Haitian President Sténio Vincent immediately condemned the massacre and requested international aid.

Answer: False

Explanation: Initially, Haitian President Sténio Vincent prohibited discussion of the massacre and asserted that relations were undamaged, influenced by financial support from Trujillo. He later sought international intervention after public pressure.

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Rafael Trujillo readily agreed to an international investigation into the massacre.

Answer: False

Explanation: Rafael Trujillo refused to submit to an international inquiry, instead offering an indemnity payment to Haiti as a means to resolve the issue without external scrutiny.

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In the reparations agreement, the Dominican government acknowledged its responsibility for the killings.

Answer: False

Explanation: In the reparations agreement, the Dominican government defended the massacre as a response to illegal immigration and explicitly recognized 'no responsibility whatsoever' for the killings.

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Trujillo's exiled political opponents publicly supported his actions during the massacre.

Answer: False

Explanation: Some of Trujillo's exiled political opponents publicly condemned the massacres, leading to them being declared 'unworthy Dominicans' and 'traitors to the Homeland' by the regime.

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Trujillo's speech in Dajabón on October 2, 1937, was seen as a public denial of any impending violence against Haitians.

Answer: False

Explanation: Trujillo's speech in Dajabón on October 2, 1937, did not deny impending violence; rather, it signaled his intent to address complaints and implement 'remedies,' effectively foreshadowing the commencement of the massacre.

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The U.S. government immediately condemned the massacre and severed diplomatic ties with the Dominican Republic.

Answer: False

Explanation: The U.S. government did not immediately condemn the massacre or sever ties; it played a role in mediating reparations and negotiations, but its initial response was more diplomatic than condemnatory.

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What did Rafael Trujillo state in his October 2, 1937 speech that signaled his intent regarding the Haitian population?

Answer: He declared that complaints about Haitian depredations would be remedied.

Explanation: In his October 2, 1937 speech, Trujillo declared that complaints regarding Haitian depredations would be addressed, signaling his intent to implement violent measures against the Haitian population.

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What was the initial stance of Haitian President Sténio Vincent regarding the Parsley Massacre?

Answer: He prohibited discussion of the massacre and asserted relations were undamaged.

Explanation: Initially, President Sténio Vincent adopted a passive stance, prohibiting public discussion of the massacre and asserting that bilateral relations remained unaffected, partly due to financial support received from Trujillo.

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Instead of submitting to an international inquiry, what did Rafael Trujillo offer Haiti?

Answer: An indemnity payment.

Explanation: Rafael Trujillo refused an international investigation and instead proposed an indemnity payment to Haiti as a resolution to the issue.

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What was the ultimate fate of the reparations money paid by the Dominican Republic?

Answer: It was largely lost due to corruption within the Haitian bureaucracy.

Explanation: The indemnity paid by the Dominican Republic was largely lost due to corruption within the Haitian bureaucracy, resulting in minimal compensation for the survivors.

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How did the Dominican government frame the Parsley Massacre in the official reparations agreement?

Answer: As a necessary response to illegal immigration by 'undesirable' Haitians.

Explanation: In the reparations agreement, the Dominican government characterized the massacre as a necessary response to illegal immigration by 'undesirable' Haitians, thereby absolving itself of direct responsibility.

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How did Trujillo's exiled opponents react to the massacre?

Answer: They publicly condemned the massacres.

Explanation: Several of Trujillo's exiled political opponents publicly denounced the massacres, although this criticism led to them being branded as traitors by the regime.

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Long-Term Consequences and Border Policies

The inadequate infrastructure in the Dominican borderlands facilitated better government control and integration.

Answer: False

Explanation: The inadequate infrastructure, particularly the lack of robust roadways, limited communication and trade in the Dominican borderlands, hindering government control and integration rather than facilitating it.

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Following the massacre, Trujillo focused on developing the borderlands with new infrastructure and services.

Answer: True

Explanation: After the Parsley Massacre, Trujillo initiated modernization efforts in the borderlands, including infrastructure development such as highways, hospitals, and schools, to integrate these regions more firmly into the Dominican Republic.

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After 1937, border policies between Haiti and the Dominican Republic became more open and welcoming.

Answer: False

Explanation: Following the massacre, the Dominican Republic implemented stricter border policies, including quotas and discriminatory practices, significantly limiting Haitian entry and leading to continued deportations.

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Trujillo's regime used the massacre's aftermath to promote Dominican-Haitian cultural exchange programs.

Answer: False

Explanation: Trujillo's regime leveraged the aftermath of the massacre to solidify its control and promote Dominican nationalism, implementing policies aimed at ethnic homogenization and restricting Haitian migration, rather than fostering cultural exchange.

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How did the lack of adequate roadways in the Dominican borderlands affect the region?

Answer: It limited communication and trade, making the regions less integrated.

Explanation: The inadequate road infrastructure in the Dominican borderlands impeded communication and trade, resulting in less integration with the rest of the country and contributing to the government's perception of the regions as a liability.

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What was a key development initiative undertaken by Trujillo in the borderlands after the massacre?

Answer: Constructing a highway to connect the regions with major cities.

Explanation: Following the massacre, Trujillo initiated infrastructure development, including the construction of a highway, to better integrate the borderlands with the Dominican Republic's major urban centers.

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What type of border policies were enacted by the Dominican Republic after 1937?

Answer: Strict quotas limiting Haitian entry and discriminatory practices.

Explanation: After 1937, the Dominican Republic implemented stringent border policies, characterized by quotas on Haitian immigration and discriminatory practices, which severely restricted entry and led to deportations.

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Historical Context: Dominican-Haitian Relations

Historically, relations between Haiti and the Dominican Republic have been characterized by cooperation and mutual support.

Answer: False

Explanation: Relations between Haiti and the Dominican Republic have historically been marked by significant strain, including territorial disputes, competition for resources, and tensions arising from Haitian migration.

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The Dominican Republic occupies the western three-eighths of the island of Hispaniola.

Answer: False

Explanation: The Dominican Republic occupies the eastern five-eighths of the island of Hispaniola, while Haiti occupies the western three-eighths.

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The concept of 'possession in fact' or 'usucapion' meant Dominican law automatically granted formal titles to Haitians based on long-term land occupation.

Answer: False

Explanation: The concept of 'possession in fact' or 'usucapion' relates to land tenure where occupation implies ownership, but it did not mean Dominican law automatically granted formal titles to Haitians based solely on long-term occupation.

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The 'See also' section lists the 1804 Haiti massacre and Dominican Republic–Haiti relations as related topics.

Answer: True

Explanation: The 'See also' section indeed lists the 1804 Haiti massacre and Dominican Republic–Haiti relations, among other related historical topics, providing context for the events.

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What historical factors contributed to strained relations between Haiti and the Dominican Republic prior to the massacre?

Answer: Territorial disputes and competition for resources.

Explanation: Pre-existing territorial disputes, competition for resources on the island of Hispaniola, and tensions related to Haitian migration were significant historical factors contributing to strained relations between the two nations.

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Which part of the island of Hispaniola does the Dominican Republic occupy?

Answer: The eastern five-eighths

Explanation: The Dominican Republic occupies the eastern five-eighths of the island of Hispaniola, sharing the island with Haiti.

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