Causes Of Nat Turner Rebellion

There were various revolts in the 19th century. These lead ups were not just over religious behavior or politics, but arguably the biggest, slavery. Slavery throughout the nineteenth century was a very touchy and sensitive topic. Various conflicts arouse from slavery discussions, especially in the south. More than two-hundred and fifty cases were brought up during this time. One of the most well-known slave rebellion was Nat Turner’s of 1831. Nat Turner was born in 1800 into slavery in Southampton, Virginia, about twenty miles from the North Carolina border (Nat Turner’s Rebellion). Nat Turner experienced a normal life. All slaves including Nat Turner could not marry, own land, travel without his or her master, or earn money. Turner was made

On August 21st, 1831, slavery would change. Turner led a group of 70 slaves in his revolt. No other slave groups planned to join Turner despite his earlier planning. Turner and some of his “slaves entered Turner’s master’s home, having decided that Turner ‘must spill the first blood’ to start the rebellion” (How Nat Turner Explained the Slave Rebellion…). Turner and his group,” sneaking into the house of Turner's master and hacking the life out of five sleeping people with hatchets and axes” (Remembering…Nat Turner’s Rebellion). Since he was the leader of the rebellion, it was right if Turner started his planned revolt. After they left the house they” realized they'd left an infant behind — they went back to kill the child in its cradle” (Remembering…Nat Turner’s Rebellion). They didn’t do this to be extra cruel or rude, but he wanted to make a point and make it stand. With the infant being killed it showed Turner was serious about his revolt, and didn’t want any survivors after he was done. From this time on, everything kept rolling good for Turner and his fellow slaves. On the other hand, whites didn’t know what was going to hit them. His army of slaves traveled through Southampton, killing whites and more whites, gender was not spared. Turner wanted to get revenge, and he wanted it quickly. Turner’s goal had been to bring terror and devastation wherever they went. The slaves wanted to turn the tables and have

The “Governor had called about three thousand militiamen to put down the rebellion” (Nat Turner’s Rebellion). Virginia didn’t want to deal with this any longer, and knew it was going to get out of hand if left untouched. They “faced off against a group of armed white men at a plantation near Jerusalem” (Nat Turner Biography.com). Nat Turner and his group of slaves were caught off guard by these angry white men. The slaves were armed with their master’s weapons and ‘fancy’ clothing dipped in the blood. When compared to the white militia, were heavily armed to stop these slaves from continuing to kill and kill. Knowing that “they were greatly outnumbered, the insurgents disbanded, and many fled into the woods and swamps” (Nat Turner’s Rebellion). With the white militia and their three thousand men, it easily outnumbered Turner and his group of approximately seventy to eighty slaves. All the slaves went into hiding, if not, they would be tried and executed. Even “Turner went into hiding” (The Southampton Slave Insurrection Was Necessary) especially since he was the leader of this violent revolt. Eventually “The white militia hunted down and soon captured or killed the men who had participated in the rebellion, except for Nat Turner” (Nat Turner’s Rebellion). Most of the other slaves that were involved with the revolt were done. That’s what the slaves feared of from the