Final answer:
The Haitian Revolution spread fear among white Americans due to the prospect of a slave uprising, leading to conservative backlash in the short term but also inspiring hope for freedom and equality in the long run.
Step-by-step explanation:
The activism inspired by the Haitian Revolution sent a powerful message to white Americans. It amplified the radical notion of universal liberty and equality, underscoring the inherent contradiction between the principles of the Enlightenment and the practice of slavery. The success of the revolt further enforced the threat of a slave uprising in the minds of Southern slaveholders.
Moreover, the implication of France’s defeat by the Haitian revolutionaries helped facilitate the United States’ purchase of the Louisiana Territory, thereby expanding the dialogue on slavery's future within the expanding nation. This sent shockwaves through the slaveholding society, prompting a retrenchment of conservative values and an expansion of slavery elsewhere in the short term. Nonetheless, the legacy of Haiti's fight against tyranny and for equality inspired subsequent rebellions and persisted as a beacon of hope for those under the yoke of colonialism and slavery.