Another event following the race riots of the 60s was the publication of americas most controversial pieces of literature. The impact of nat turner s rebellion still felt today. The rebellion was put down within a few days, but turner survived in hiding for more than two months afterwards. The title of this book is nat turners rebellion and it was written by john v. Oates has written many books on american history and his style of writing makes his.
Oates, 1975 authors purpose for writing the book the author wrote this book to transport readers back to nats time so that the might suffer with him and see the world of slavery and the old south through his eyes ix. From the moment of the rebellion he led in 1831 that killed almost 60 whites, terrorized southampton county, va, and shook slaveholders everywhere, to the many evocations of him and his bloody course. The legacy of nat turner nat turner is widely regarded as one of the most complex figures in american history and american literature. Oates is a narrative of how a man called nat turner rose up to rebel against slavery in virginia in 1800s. During a twoday rampage, more than 50 whites were killed, mostly by being stabbed or hacked to dea. Turner was the subject of william styrons 1967 pulitzer prizewinning novel confessions of nat turner. For a start, it is often forgotten that the number of black casualties killed in white reprisals far outnumbered turners victims. List of books and articles about nat turner online research. Grays confessions of nat turner became the source for the 1967 pulitzer prizewinning novel of the same name by another white writer, william styron. The 1831 southampton insurrection, or nat turners rebellion, is the subject of the new film the birth of a nation. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper. Most americans who know anything about nat turners rebellion know it from this book. Nat turners rebellion was one of the largest slave rebellions ever to take place in the. Nat turners rebellion for kids andrew jackson was the 7th american president who served in office from march 4, 1829 to march 4, 1837.
Onehundred and eightyfive years ago this week, in the early. One of wideman s most vivid stories is centered around the confession of nat turner, an enslaved virginia man who organized a revolt in 1831, involving upwards of 50 other slaves. Jun 15, 2019 author patrick breen discussed his book, the land shall be deluged in blood. Nat turners name rings through american history with a force all its own.
Author patrick breen discussed his book, the land shall be deluged in blood. Nat turners insurrection 154 years ago, the atlantic published an account of a virginia slave revolt that would become one of the bloodiest in american history. Quarstein weaves nat turners own confession, court records, newspa per accounts, official papers, and his decadelong work with the southampton county historical society into a fresh portrayal of the causes and aftermath of the uprising. One of the important events during his presidency was nat turner s rebellion in 1831. It ignited a culture of fear in virginia that eventually spread to the rest of the south, and is said to have expedited the coming of the civil war.
While still a young child, nat was overheard describing events that had happened before. October marks the anniversary both of his birth and of his arrest as the leader of one of the united states most famous slave rebellions. Nat turner was born on october 2, 1800, in southampton county, virginia, the week before gabriel was hanged. After killing the family of turners owner, the band ravaged the neighborhood, in two days killing a total of 55 white people, mostly women and children. Starring tyhm kennedy as the legendary virginian nat turner. Nat turner s name rings through american history with a force all its own. In the summer of 1831, a band of some forty slaves led by nat turner attacked slaveowning residents of southampton county, virginia. This illustration depicting the capture of nat turner appeared in the 1882 book a popular history of the united states. As fascinating as the story of the rebellion itself, is oates account of the aftermath of the events of 1831. List of books and articles about nat turner online. In the early 19th century, americans started turning more and. An american family tomlins has applied the research rigor, creative methods, and astute analysis required to discern the broad import of nat turners rebellion and the particular linkage of religion and politics. Many, many people survived the rebellion and had to go on living there, including nat turners wife, who then had toas far as we can telllive out the rest of her life in southampton county.
The revolt was soon crushed, however, and slaves and three free blacks were hanged immediately. Under the leadership of nat turner 2, a thirtyoneyearold religious mystic, a group of enslaved people in southampton county, virginia, conspired to strike a blow to the system. Leader of the most important slave rebellion on these shores, variously viewed as a murderer of unarmed women and children, an inspired religious leader, a fanaticthis puzzling figure represents all the terrible complexities of american slavery. Oates book provides a systematic chronology of the brief revolt and its brutal suppression. Aug 22, 2016 it was in august of 1831 that nat turner led a rebellion of virginia slaves that left dozens of people dead, including small children.
Occurring thirty years before the civil war, turners. The book is about a slave by the name nat turner, who organized an. Rebel slaves killed from 55 to 65 people, at least 51 being white. Nat turners slave rebellion by aptheker, herbert ebook.
Oates portrays a slave rebellion and uprising in the 1830s. Nat turner s rebellion for kids andrew jackson was the 7th american president who served in office from march 4, 1829 to march 4, 1837. One of widemans most vivid stories is centered around the confession of nat turner, an enslaved virginia man who organized a revolt in 1831, involving upwards of 50 other slaves. Nat turner, 18001831, american slave, leader of the southampton insurrection 1831, b. Nat turners rebellion put an end to the white southern myth that slaves were either contented with their lot or too servile to mount an armed revolt. Possession awardwinning nat turner short film youtube.
Nat turners rebellion was one of the few slave revolts that took place during the early 1800s. Quarstein weaves nat turners own confession, court records, newspaper accounts, official papers, and his decadelong work with the southampton county historical society into a fresh portrayal of the causes and aftermath of the uprising. The historians here explore turners slave community, discussing the support for his uprising as well as the religious and literary context of his movement. The book is about a slave by the name nat turner, who organized an uprising against their white masters. The confessions of nat turner the leader of the late insurrections in southampton, va.
Oct 07, 2016 the 1831 southampton insurrection, or nat turners rebellion, is the subject of the new film the birth of a nation. The confessions of nat turner is a 1967 pulitzer prizewinning novel by american writer william styron. Nat turners fierce rebellion by stephen oates was written and submitted by user amanda mcgee to help you with your own studies. Nat turner october 2, 1800 to november 11, 1831 was a slave who became a preacher and made history as the leader of one of the bloodiest slave revolts in america on august 21, 1831. One of the largest and most violent revolts in the history of the young nation, the rebellion took the lives of some sixty white men, women, and children. A slave rebellion in history and memory by kenneth s. Nat turner s rebellion also known as the southampton insurrection was a slave rebellion that took place in southampton county, virginia, in august 1831, led by nat turner. Born in 1800 in southampton county, virginia, nat turner was one of millions of enslaved persons of african descent in the united states. In the immediate aftermath of the rebellion, however, many southern states, including north carolina. Nathanial nat turner 18001831 was a black american slave who led the only effective, sustained slave rebellion august 1831 in u.
A book that was both lauded and reviled in its day, william styrons confessions of nat turner 1967 marks a resurgence of the public debate over nat turners legacy. Mar 08, 2012 in the summer of 1831, a band of some forty slaves led by nat turner attacked slaveowning residents of southampton county, virginia. He is a former professor of history at university of massachusetts amherst. Oct 07, 2016 understanding the gospel of nat turner. Nat turner s rebellion was one of the bloodiest and most effective in american history. Nat turner s rebellion and the abolition of slavery 1789 words 8 pages. The leader of the late insurrection in southampton, virginia, a firsthand account of turner s confessions published by. The book was the result of grays research while turner was in hiding and his conversations with turner before the trial, and it is the primary window into turners mind. Deeply religious from childhood, turner was a natural preacher and possessed some influence among local slaves. For many years in black churches throughout the country, the name jerusalem referred. Jan 22, 2018 nat turners rebellion was an intensely violent episode which broke out in august 1831 when slaves in southeastern virginia rose up against white residents of the area.
Nat turners rebellionnat turners rebellion was the most significant slave revolt in united states 1 history. After turners capture, lawyer thomas ruffin gray published the confessions of nat turner. A new history of the nat turner revolt, at the gettysburg college civil war institutes annual summer conference. One of the important events during his presidency was nat turners rebellion in 1831. In the matter of nat turner princeton university press. Annette gordonreed, pulitzer prizewinning author of the hemingses of monticello. The sharpest and most insightful interpretation of nat turners rebellion in the scholarly literature.
Countless attempts at freedom by slaves were not successful due to a lack of precision and planning that nat turners. The uprising helped in bringing to an end the discrimination of the african americans. In the summer of 1831, a band of some forty slaves led. An outcry against the souths exploitative slave system, the revolt was suppressed within fortyeight hours. The birth of a nation nat turner american revolutionary. Th e confessions of nat turner, the leader of the late insurrection in southampton, virginia, as fully and voluntarily made to th omas r. During a twoday rampage, more than 50 whites were killed, mostly by being stabbed or hacked to death. The leader of the late insurrection in southampton, virginia. Greenberg gathers twelve distinguished scholars to offer provocative new insight into the man, his rebellion, and his time, and his place in history. Nat turners 1831 rebellion struck fear throughout the slaveholding south, which sought to quash his legacy. The impact of nat turners rebellion still felt today. Specifically, it will analyze the historical value of the book, and analyze the authors assessment that his nat turners rebellion illustrates a profound truth oates ix. The birthplace of american slavery debated abolishing it after nat turners bloody revolt.
Virginia debated abolishing slavery after nat turners. Though in the 6 years since the rebellion turner never vanished from published discourse as this exhibition aims to illustrate, it was not since the rebellion itself that. Historians are making new discoveries about the enslaved preacher and his rebels in. Nat turners slave rebellion graphic history by michael burgan and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. It was in august of 1831 that nat turner led a rebellion of virginia slaves that left dozens of people dead, including small children. This caused nat to be an idol in the eyes of the african american community that was fighting oppression at the time. Though in the 6 years since the rebellion turner never vanished from published discourse as this exhibition aims to illustrate, it was not since the rebellion itself that turners legacy sparked such virulent debate. The writer is an authority in the 19 th century american history. Nat turner s slave rebellion graphic history by michael burgan and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Presented as a firstperson narrative by historical figure nat turner, the novel concerns the slave revolt in virginia in 1831. Tomlinss wonderful and important book makes a fundamental contribution to our understanding of one of the canonical events in american and african american history. The film tells the story of turner, an africanamerican born into slavery. To understand nat turner s rebellion, we need to understand a little more about the world he lived in. Leader of the most important slave rebellion on these shores, variously viewed as a murderer of unarmed women and children, an inspired religious leader, a fanaticthis puzzling figure represents all the terrible complexities of.
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