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Themes in nat turners fierce rebellion
Slavery in the late nineteenth century
Themes in nat turners fierce rebellion
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Beginning in the eighteenth century, a collection of thirteen fledgling British colonies were undergoing immense changes while struggling with the divisive institution of slavery. Their brutally enforced labor became invaluable in agricultural areas and their population grew, often becoming the majority of many counties in the south. Looking back at this barbaric practice, it would seem inevitable slaves would frequently push back against their bondage through violent protests and uprisings. Author Peter Charles Hoffer’s book, Cry Liberty: The Great Stono River Slave Rebellion of 1739 takes a closer look at such an event. He argues that despite the mainstream view of the rebellion, its origin was not one of premeditated revolt.
Black, Colored, Negroes, Niggers… All names that had been given to describe “darker” skinned toned individuals whom only wanted the pleasure of being free in a land full of opportunity. Imagine being taken from what you know as home to be turned into someone’s property and considered no more as free; to be considered no more as human but as chattel. The question is, who? Who in the hell would want to be a slave? “The Fires of Jubilee: Nat Turners Fierce Rebellion” by Stephen Oates happened to be one the most vivid books in which provided its audience with details that placed the reader in the shoes of the characters whom suffered for years because of a law that imprisoned human beings because of the complexion of their skin, filling their heads
Stephen B. Oates writes about a slave named Nat Turner, who led a rebellion against slavery in the book “The Fires of Jubilee”. Turner was born on October 17, 1800 in Southampton County, Virginia. His mother Nancy was bought by a man named Benjamin Turner in 1795 and was transported to America. Nat’s father was never named, but was married to Nancy.
Oates starts the book with an exhaustive account of Turner. He endeavors to show what lead a man to submit the activities he did. Nat was born on October 17, 1800 in Southampton County, Virginia. His mom Nancy was acquired to America 1795. The man who bought her was Benjamin Turner, a rich tidewater grower.
Nat Turner was another literate and deeply Christian slave. Turner was born into slavery in Virginia. When Nat was born his mother attempted to kill him, to prevent him from living a life of slavery. Turners rebellion began with the Turner house, where they killed all members of the household, excluding an infant. They moved from household to household, killing the slave masters and gaining followers in the slaves they freed.
Nathaniel Turner was born into slavery on October 2, 1800 in Southampton County, Virginia. Turner was recorded as "Nat" by Benjamin Turner who held his mother and him captive as slaves. Turner knew little of his father as it was believed that his father had escaped when he was a little boy. Armed with weapons and guns, Nat Turner, an African American slave, and other followers erupted a violent rebellion for slaves and free blacks on August 21st 1831. He
Nat Turners Rebellion became monumental for many people of color, he was idolized and respected for his courageous actions. The rebellion created fear that spread through the South, even those in favor for abolishment now wanted stricter laws for slaves. Turner was “recorded on the list of dishonor” for the organization he had lead (“An Address To The Slave Of The united Slaves”). There had been an interview by Thomas R. Gray, defending and slightly sympathizing with Turners actions, many rejected the validation of the interview and felt as if he just wanted “to trick, confuse, and overwhelm the slave’s minds.” (“The Southampton Tragedy”).
The date of August 22, 1831 marks the overall beginning of what is now known as a bloody slave insurrection. On this day, Nat along with a handful of other slaves killed the Travis family and immediately gained a larger group of slave followers to carry out the second step of their rebellion. During the next two days, Nat succeeded in murdering an upwards of 51 white people with the help of 75 fellow slaves. After the rebellion, Nat Turner fled to a nearby area to hide from the punishment that he was bound to receive the moment he was
Nat Turner and a group of armed slaves led an uprising against white slave owners in Southampton County, Virginia. He and his group killed 55 white men, women, and children. Nat Turner hid for 70 days, he was captured and jailed. At trial, he was found guilty of murder and sentenced to death. He was eventually hung.
Nat Turner was born into slavery on October 2, 1800 in Southampton County, Virginia. His slavemaster from the time he was born up until he was ten was Benjamin Turner. When Benjamin Turner died in 1810 Nat became the property of Benjamin’s older brother Samuel, who was portrayed in the book. Nat Turner spent his entire life on the Southampton
In Nat Turner, Kyle Baker illustrates a part of history that textbooks merely gloss over. He gives names to the 55 whites who were murdered. However, it is impossible to mention all the names of the thousands of blacks that suffered because of the slave trade. But was Nat Turner’s revenge justified? Although Nat Turner’s rebellion is unjustifiable because so many were killed, he is not entirely to blame because white slaveholders denied him and other black people of basic rights which forced them to act out.
“He was born on the Virginia plantation of Benjamin Turner, who allowed him to be instructed in reading, writing, and religion” (Hayes). Being able to read and write helped Nat Turner in various ways, especially being a leader. Turner was lucky enough that his slave owner let him do these things. “Nat Turner recalled that when he was a child, his grandmother and mother said he “was intended for some great purpose” (Hayes) This may have sparked Turner to do something about ending slavery.
Nat Turner Biography Born on the 2nd of October 1800, in Southampton County, Virginia, Nat Turner was a black American slave who led the only successful, sustained slave revolt, in August 1831, in the United States. As a child, he was recognized as having "natural intelligence and quickness of understanding, surpassed by few.” He grasped how to read and write when he was young. Turner was deeply religious and spent much of his time preaching to his slaves and reading to them Bible verses, praying, and fasting (Biography).
Thomas Jefferson once said, “I hold it that a little rebellion, now and then, is a good thing, and as necessary in the political world as storms in the physical. It is a medicine necessary for the sound health of government.” Jefferson’s statement on rebellion is in some ways true, rebellion can be good every now and then because it makes the government reevaluate the way situations and politics are being dealt with. For example in the case of Nat Turner, a slave rebel in 1831, a man who organized a rebellion against white slave owners in Southampton County Virginia. Some people believe that the rebellion caused the Civil War to occur sooner than it should have because the aftermath of the it lead to even tighter restrictions on African Americans
In the revolutionary war slaves and their masters played an important role, which led towards the abolishment of slavery. After years, full of several tensions between the United States and Britain tensions erupted in the war of independence in February 1775, which would last till September 1783 (Conway,1). While the Americans fought for their freedom, the Slaves fought for their freedom as well. “African Americans fought a revolution within a revolution,” as Nash writes about the fight of the slaves. (266).
