专八人文知识需知的美国名人--纳特.特纳
Nathaniel "Nat" Turner (October 2, 1800 November 11, 1831)was an American slave who led a slave rebellion in Virginia onAugust 21, 1831 that resulted in 56 deaths among their victims,the largest number of white fatalities to occur in one uprising inthe antebellum southern United States. He gathered supportersin Southampton County, Virginia. Turner's killing of whites duringthe uprising makes his legacy controversial. For his actions, Turner was convicted, sentenced todeath, and executed. In the aftermath, the state executed 56 blacks accused of being part ofTurner's slave rebellion. Two hundred blacks were also beaten and killed, white militias and mobsreacting with violence. Across Virginia and other southern states, state legislators passed new lawsprohibiting education of slaves and free blacks, restricting rights of assembly and other civil rightsfor free blacks, and requiring white ministers to be present at black worship services.
Early life
At birth, Turner's master recorded only his given name, Nat, although he may have had a lastname within the enslaved community. In accordance with common practice, the whites referred tohim by the last name of his owner, Samuel Turner. This practice was continued by historians.
Turner spent his life in Southampton County, Virginia, a predominantly black area. After therebellion, a reward notice described Turner as:
5 feet 6 or 8 inches high, weighs between 150 and 160 pounds, rather bright complexion, butnot a mulatto, broad shoulders, larger flat nose, large eyes, broad flat feet, rather knockkneed,walks brisk and active, hair on the top of the head very thin, no beard, except on the upper lip andthe top of the chin, a scar on one of his temples, also one on the back of his neck, a large knot onone of the bones of his right arm, near the wrist, produced by a blow.
Rebellion
Turner started with a few trusted fellow slaves. The rebels traveled from house to house, freeingslaves and killing the white people they found. The rebels ultimately included more than 70enslaved and free blacks.
Because the rebels did not want to alert anyone to their presence as they carried out their attacks,they initially used knives, hatchets, axes, and blunt instruments instead of firearms. The rebelliondid not discriminate by age or sex, until it was determined that the rebellion had achievedsufficient numbers. Nat Turner only confessed to killing one of the rebellion's victims, MargretWhitehead, who he killed with a blow from a fence post.
Before a white militia was able to respond, the rebels killed 55 men, women, and children. Theyspared a few homes "because Turner believed the poor white inhabitants 'thought no better ofthemselves than they did of negroes.'"
