Nat Turner
Mera Francis
History 120
4/8/14
Nat Turner
Turner was born into slavery on October 2, 1800, in Southampton County, Virginia, on slaveholder Benjamin Turner’s farm. He led and organized one of the bloodiest slave rebellions before the civil war. This was the rebellion that served to change the course of American history. When Turner was born, his mother was so determined not to subject him to a life of slavery, that she tried to kill him as soon as he was born, but when Turner was the age of three his parents saw unique qualities about Turner, he knew so much for being so young. He was brought up knowing slavery was wrong, he was even being taught to write and read by the masters son. His parents were already certain that one day he’d surely be a prophet. But as young Nat Turner grew up, he knew his childhood life with the young white boys was coming to an end.
Turner was a very popular religious leader among his fellow slave community, he was extremely religious and became convinced that he was the chosen one to lead his people to freedom; this is mainly why Turner formed his organization. On August 21, the rebellion erupted, Turner and seven other slaves set off on a campaign of brutal murders along the countryside, picking up slave recruits as they progressed from plantation to plantation. Turner and his fellow escapees moved through Southampton County toward Jerusalem, the county seat, where they were intent on seizing the armory.
Some of the slaves were on horseback, so they could run down anyone trying to escape the murderous rampage. The rebels killed all the white people they found, including women, children and the elderly. When the killing finally came to an end, 55 white people lay dead, killed to death. After 48 hours of rampaging and killing, the band was confronted by armed citizens and the state militia just outside Jerusalem, where most of its members were captured or killed. Nat Turner managed to escape and hid out for six weeks before
History 120
4/8/14
Nat Turner
Turner was born into slavery on October 2, 1800, in Southampton County, Virginia, on slaveholder Benjamin Turner’s farm. He led and organized one of the bloodiest slave rebellions before the civil war. This was the rebellion that served to change the course of American history. When Turner was born, his mother was so determined not to subject him to a life of slavery, that she tried to kill him as soon as he was born, but when Turner was the age of three his parents saw unique qualities about Turner, he knew so much for being so young. He was brought up knowing slavery was wrong, he was even being taught to write and read by the masters son. His parents were already certain that one day he’d surely be a prophet. But as young Nat Turner grew up, he knew his childhood life with the young white boys was coming to an end.
Turner was a very popular religious leader among his fellow slave community, he was extremely religious and became convinced that he was the chosen one to lead his people to freedom; this is mainly why Turner formed his organization. On August 21, the rebellion erupted, Turner and seven other slaves set off on a campaign of brutal murders along the countryside, picking up slave recruits as they progressed from plantation to plantation. Turner and his fellow escapees moved through Southampton County toward Jerusalem, the county seat, where they were intent on seizing the armory.
Some of the slaves were on horseback, so they could run down anyone trying to escape the murderous rampage. The rebels killed all the white people they found, including women, children and the elderly. When the killing finally came to an end, 55 white people lay dead, killed to death. After 48 hours of rampaging and killing, the band was confronted by armed citizens and the state militia just outside Jerusalem, where most of its members were captured or killed. Nat Turner managed to escape and hid out for six weeks before