Nat Turner Research Paper

Nat Turner was an Africa American solder born October 2, 1800 in Southampton County. Nat Turner was a rebellion leader. Turner had a vison that god wanted him to kill all whites. On the day of August 22, 1831 started the revolt, limiting rights for blacks, and the confessions of Nat Turner.

In this period most African Americans did not know how to read, or write. Nat turner was one of the few kids that could do both. Turner was devoted to his faith which lead him to believe he was receiving message from god. By this time turner was teaching bible study groups. Turner had many African American follows which looked to him as the “Prophet” (Wikipedia).

At the age of 21 Nat turner ran away, only to return a month later. At this point Turners visons where stronger and he started to feel like he had a calling to do great things. One of the passages that Turner quote often stated “seek ye the kingdom of heaven and all things shall be handed onto you” (Nat Turner).

In the Month of May Nat Turner “heard a loud noise in the heavens, and spirits instantly appeared to me and said the Serpent was loosened, and Christ had laid down the yoke he had borne for the sins of men and that I should take it on and fight against the Serpent, for the time was fastest approaching when the first should be last and the last should be first” (Wikipedia).

By 1830 Nat turner had a new master named Joseph Travis. Turner stated that his new master was “a kind master” who “places the greatest confidence in me” (Wikipedia). On February 11, 1831 after a “solar eclipse” Turner had more visons of what he needed to do

(pg.504).
Before the start of the rebellion Turner got sick and push the date back from July 4, 1931. During this time Turner had more than 70 slaves and free blacks on his side. Turner thought the color of the sky was a sign to start his insurrection on all whites. A newspaper issued a statement stating “Turner declare that indiscriminate slaughter was not their intention after they attained a foothold, and was the resort to in the first instance to strike terror and alarm” (Wikipedia). On the day of August 21, 1831 was the start of the “insurrection” against whites (America a Narrative History pg. 504). The day of the rebel Nat Turner started off with killing his master “Joseph Travis” and his family. Nat turner and his followers killed over 50 people in two days.
On August 23, 1831 the rebellions was “suppressed” (Wikipedia). The effects of the rebellion lead the Europeans to start killing. At this point Turner was still on the run. Blacks were being trialed, hanged and beheaded. Over 100 African Americans were killed. The after math of the rebellion caused legislature to passed new laws where slaves could not have schooling, and “confining the activities of all slaves” (Wikipedia). The laws “restricted all blacks for holding religious meetings with out the presence of a white leader” (Boundless.com). Not only was the followers of Nat turner killed, but over “two hundred blacks” were killed by militias (Wikipedia). Nat Turners actions caused the killings of slaves that was not part of the rebellion all over. Many of these salve were not trialed stated by editor Richmond Whig, who described the scene as “slaughter“(Wikipedia). Weeks after the rebel was over African Americans were still being killed. It was not till a General named Eppes ordered whites to stop killing slaves and that no more killing would be allowed. The number of slave that were killed from the rebellion is unknown. Reverend G.W. Powell stated that “many negroes are killed every day. The exact number will never be known” (Wikipedia). Militia took head of slaves and place them on pole to intimidate people from joining in on the rebellion this event was called “black head signpost road” (Wikipedia).

Weeks after the rebel a farmer named “Benjamin Phipps” found Nate Turner hiding in a hole. On November 5, 1831 Nat Turners faith was decide and he was found guilty and put to death for “conspiring to rebel and making insurrection” (Wikipedia). Turner was hanged on November 11 and a lawyer named Thomas Ruffin Gray published “The Confessions of Nat Turner” By (Thomas Gray). In Nat turners confession Nat Turner gave insight on his life and what lead up to the rebellion.
After the rebellion free slave moved there families north for education. Although, there was a law against teaching African Americans some white teacher like Thomas J Jackson and Mary Peake helped blacks to read. The rebellion left many slaves unable to read and write. “Freedmen and Northerners considered the issue of education and helping former slaves gain literacy as one of the most critical in the postwar South” (Wikipedia). By the end of the war new laws were passed allowing slaves education.
The rebellion turn out to have a negative effect on blacks and whites. Nat Turner got a glimpses of what freedom felt like and thought that making other salves feel the same would make away to become free slaves. The rebellion was one of the biggest wars in which new laws where need to control the slaves.