Nat Turner
Blake Balder
Background info
Born Oct. 2, 1880 in Southampton, Virginia. He was born into slavery, and he was a deeply religious and spent most of his time reading the Bible, praying, and fasting. He ran away and then he came back after he got a sign from God.
Movement
He believed in divine voices and in signs from God that told him the next step he needed to take in his reform movement. He took a solar eclipse as a sign that it was time to come up and rise. On Aug. 21, 1831 Turner led one of the biggest rebellions against slavery and it led to the killing of his own owners.
Movement Grows
He gained followers and continued his murder spree throughout the county. 55 white men, women, and children died during the Turner rebellion. He planned to take his rebellion to Jerusalem but white men won in the end.
Death and Legacy
After the battle in which he lost, Turner fled into the woods where he later would be caught and taken to trail. He plead not guilty and was sentenced to death by being hung. His movement inspired others to act out against slavery and it made the North's hatred of slavery even stronger. In the end, he emerged as a hero, a religious fanatic, and as a villain.