Nat Turner's Rebellion

Definition

Nat Turner's Rebellion was a slave uprising that occurred in 1831 in Southampton County, Virginia. It was one of the most significant and violent slave rebellions in American history, led by an enslaved man named Nat Turner who believed he had been chosen by God to lead a rebellion against slavery.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Nat Turner was an enslaved man in Virginia who believed he had been chosen by God to lead a rebellion against slavery.
2. The rebellion began on August 21, 1831, when Turner and a group of fellow enslaved men killed Turner's owner and his family, and then went on to kill over 50 white people in the surrounding area.
3. The rebellion was ultimately suppressed after several days, and Turner was captured, tried, and executed, along with dozens of other participants.
4. The Nat Turner's Rebellion led to increased fear and hostility towards enslaved people in the South, as well as more stringent laws and restrictions placed on the enslaved population.
5. The rebellion was a significant event in the history of the abolitionist movement, as it highlighted the brutality of slavery and the willingness of enslaved people to resist their oppression.

Review Questions

• Describe the key events and participants involved in Nat Turner's Rebellion.
  • Nat Turner's Rebellion was a slave uprising that occurred in 1831 in Southampton County, Virginia. It was led by an enslaved man named Nat Turner, who believed he had been chosen by God to lead a rebellion against slavery. On August 21, 1831, Turner and a group of fellow enslaved men killed Turner's owner and his family, and then went on to kill over 50 white people in the surrounding area. The rebellion was ultimately suppressed after several days, and Turner was captured, tried, and executed, along with dozens of other participants.
• Analyze the impact of Nat Turner's Rebellion on the institution of slavery and the abolitionist movement in the United States.
  • Nat Turner's Rebellion had a significant impact on the institution of slavery and the abolitionist movement in the United States. The rebellion led to increased fear and hostility towards enslaved people in the South, as well as more stringent laws and restrictions placed on the enslaved population. This crackdown on the enslaved population was a direct response to the willingness of enslaved people to resist their oppression, as demonstrated by Turner and his followers. At the same time, the rebellion also highlighted the brutality of slavery and the willingness of enslaved people to fight for their freedom, which further galvanized the abolitionist movement and its efforts to end the institution of slavery in the United States.
• Evaluate the role of religious beliefs and divine inspiration in Nat Turner's decision to lead a rebellion against slavery.
  • Nat Turner's religious beliefs and his conviction that he had been chosen by God to lead a rebellion against slavery were central to his decision to organize and carry out the uprising. Turner believed that he had received visions and signs from God that instructed him to rise up against the institution of slavery. This divine inspiration gave Turner a sense of purpose and moral authority, which helped to motivate and unite the enslaved people who followed him. At the same time, Turner's religious justification for the rebellion also made it more difficult for white slaveholders and authorities to dismiss or discredit the uprising, as it was rooted in Turner's sincere religious convictions. Ultimately, Turner's religious beliefs were a key factor in his decision to lead one of the most significant slave rebellions in American history.

Related terms

Slave Revolts: Violent uprisings by enslaved people against the institution of slavery, often involving the killing of white slaveholders and their families.

Abolitionism:

The movement to end the practice of slavery and abolish the institution of slavery in the United States.

Antebellum South: The period in the Southern United States before the American Civil War, characterized by an economy and society built around the institution of slavery.