Nat Turner was born in Southampton, Virginia, on October 2, 1800. He was the son of slaves and therefore was property of Benjamin Turner, a wealthy plantation owner. When he was young he was taught how to read by his master’s son. He was also taught how to write, and about religion, and while he was growing up he became deeply absorbed in religious matters. He was very religious and spent much of his time fasting and preying. He also read the bible many times and found new ideas on liberty and freedom each time. He soon began to believe that God had chosen him to lead his people out of slavery, a belief that was encouraged by both of his parents. He also preached a lot to other slaves and encouraging them to fight for justice, and for what they believe in.
In 1821, he ran away from his master, only to return a month later after having claimed to have seen a vision in which the Spirit told him to “return to the service of my earthly master.” The following year he was sol to Thomas Moore, after the death of his master. Three years after being sold, he had another claimed to have another vision. Then in May, 1828, he had his third vision: "I heard a loud noise in the heavens, and the Spirit 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 fast approaching when the first should be last and the last should be first... And by signs in the heavens that it would make known to me when I should commence the great work, and until the first sign appeared I should conceal it from the knowledge of men; and on the appearance of the sign... I should arise and prepare myself and slay my enemies with their own weapons."
In the early months of 1830, Turner was sold to a man named Joseph Travis. A year later, when he witnessed an eclipse of the sun he believed that his time had come to rise up and lead his people out of slavery. After confiding in four of his friends for help, together they came up with a plan and scheduled it for August 21, 1831. On this date, he, along with help from six other slaves, murdered the Travis family. After murdering the Travis family, they traveled through the countryside and secured arms and horses while gathering about seventy-five other slaves to begin a revolt. Their revolt left at least fifty whites murdered, and many more after them. Several days into the revolt, whites began hunting down and killing the people involved in the revolt. Turner managed to successfully hide for a total of six weeks after the rebellion was put down, until he was eventually discovered and captured. After Turner was captured, he was hung; however, before being murdered he described to the people who captured him, his reason for beginning the rebellion. After Nat Turner’s rebellion was put down, a feeling of terror and fear descended over slaver owners in the South, unlike ever before.
Works Cited
"Africans in America/Part 3/Nat Turner's Rebellion." PBS: Public Broadcasting Service. Web. 27 Oct. 2011. <http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part3/3p1518.html>.
"Nat Turner Biography - Facts, Birthday, Life Story - Biography.com." Famous Biographies & TV Shows - Biography.com. Web. 27 Oct. 2011. <http://www.biography.com/people/nat-turner-9512211>.
"Nat Turner." Spartacus Educational. Web. 27 Oct. 2011. <http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/USASturner.htm>.
"Nathaniel Turner." Africa Within. Web. 27 Oct. 2011. <http://www.africawithin.com/bios/nat_turner.htm>.
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