In August of 1831 one of America's largest slave uprisings struck fear in the South and prompts some to call for an end to the institution of slavery. Although there were many incidents of organized slave rebellion, only a few hundred are documented with reliable evidence. From the earliest days of the institution, rebellion was a constant feature of American slavery. It took many forms, from individual acts of sabotage, poor work, faking illness, or committing crimes like arson and poisoning to escape the system altogether by fleeing to the North. But, out of all these things, the most dramatic instances were outright slave rebellions. Because American plantations were far smaller than those in other parts of the Western Hemisphere and because in the United States whites outnumbered slaves, slave rebellions were smaller and less frequent than in Brazil or the West Indies. Three major slave uprisings took place in the nineteenth century. The largest, and some would argue most effective rebellion was that led by the enslaved preacher, Nat Turner. Nat Turners 1831 Slave Rebellion shocks the nation and pushes the south slave policing system to its …show more content…
Turner was highly intelligent and learned how to read and write at a young age. He grew up deeply religious and was often seen fasting, praying or immersed in reading the stories of the Bible. He frequently had visions, which he interpreted as messages from God. These visions greatly influenced his life. He believed that God had chosen him to avenge the sins of slavery. Turner quietly preaches to other enslaved men, making his rounds in fields and other designated areas. For months, the men meet secretly. Turner and his men then began to conspire a plan for their uprising. In the early morning hours of 1831, Turner and his men launch one of the largest slave rebellions in American