Banana: How the United Fruit Company Shaped the World
Nat Turner was a highly intelligent African American. Even as a young boy his family, masters, and others noticed his talents. Turner believed he was unfit to be a slave and that he was a profit due to the fact that he taught himself how to read, the mark on his head and chest and finally the revelation instructing him to seek the kingdom of Heaven. He took these as signs to become a leader and end slavery in Virginia.
Nat Turner’s rebellion was believed to be one of the largest slave rebellions in United State history. Nearly about seventy people were killed during this bloody, violent massacre. Turner had only about sixty to eighty followers and they held their meeting at Cabin Pond the day before the rebellion. The rebellion wasn’t an act of revenge. It was more against slavery than against an actual person. The rebels in some sense showed some control because they never burned a building, raped a woman, stole valuable goods, or take part in torture. The slaves merely wanted to end slavery.
Within a day of all the madness, the local militia defeated the rebellion. The militia captured and killed the rebels except for Turner. Nat Turner hid for about two months and was finally captured on October 30th, tried one week later and was executed on November 11th. Many neighboring communities began to panic, and felt threaten so they received military and naval support. Whites immediately started accusing all slaves of being in the rebellion which resulted in many innocent African Americans death. General Eppes had troops stand guard of accused rebels to assure orderly trials. Nearly fifty African Americans were tried within a three week period. Although every slave was appointed a lawyer by the court, the lawyer didn’t take the time to put forward a good defense. In the end, thirty people were sentenced to death for participation, and nineteen died on the gallows (21).
It’s hard to portray Nat Turner’s “Confession” to be a reliable document. Some scholars
Nat Turner’s rebellion was believed to be one of the largest slave rebellions in United State history. Nearly about seventy people were killed during this bloody, violent massacre. Turner had only about sixty to eighty followers and they held their meeting at Cabin Pond the day before the rebellion. The rebellion wasn’t an act of revenge. It was more against slavery than against an actual person. The rebels in some sense showed some control because they never burned a building, raped a woman, stole valuable goods, or take part in torture. The slaves merely wanted to end slavery.
Within a day of all the madness, the local militia defeated the rebellion. The militia captured and killed the rebels except for Turner. Nat Turner hid for about two months and was finally captured on October 30th, tried one week later and was executed on November 11th. Many neighboring communities began to panic, and felt threaten so they received military and naval support. Whites immediately started accusing all slaves of being in the rebellion which resulted in many innocent African Americans death. General Eppes had troops stand guard of accused rebels to assure orderly trials. Nearly fifty African Americans were tried within a three week period. Although every slave was appointed a lawyer by the court, the lawyer didn’t take the time to put forward a good defense. In the end, thirty people were sentenced to death for participation, and nineteen died on the gallows (21).
It’s hard to portray Nat Turner’s “Confession” to be a reliable document. Some scholars