Slavery

In Antebellum America1800 - 1860SlaveryShould this person be commemorated?A principled man of faith, organized and led a rebellion against people that supported an activity that was deemed immoral and a crime against God. His leadership skills created a small band of followers that took up arms and defended their beliefs.Solicit students responses to the description and have them justify their answers. Ask students to hypothesize on who the person may have been or what event is depicted. 2Nat Turners RebellionWho?What?When?Where?Why?What is your interpretation?

Evaluate your primary sourceOn Nat Turners Rebellion: Evaluating Historical OpinionsComplete the section that corresponds to your Source 1-6; and fill in theAdjectivesQuotesTermJigsawShare with the others in Sources 1-6 to complete worksheetWhat do we know about the sources?How do they impact the interpretation we develop?

Who are the sources and the impact?The Richmond Enquirer and Richmond Whig, 1831Both newspapers were published in a southern city and were readwidely by planters throughout the region. Tended to promote the politicalviews of the upper-class planters who paid to subscribe to the paper.Thomas R. Grey, The Confessions of Nat Turner, 1831.After his capture and arrest on October 30, 1831, Nat Turner wasimprisoned in the Southampton County Jail, where he was interviewed byThomas R. Gray, a Southern physician. Grey stated that only Turnerswords were recorded but in several instances Greys words appear in theConfessions.How does the author impact the interpretation? William S. Drewery, Slave Insurrections in Virginia, 1900.A white Virginian who grew up near the area of the rebellion. Read lotsof primary sources, interviewed whites and blacks that knew people alive in1831. He believed that slavery was a good thing that slaves were happy,and that slaves rarely rebelled.John W. Cromwell-The Aftermath of Nat Turners Insurrection, The Journal of Negro History, 1920.An African American teacher, writer, and political activist. Was one ofthe first to write in what will eventually be called African American History.Herbert Aptheker, American Negro Slave Revolts, 1943.Hated segregation and racial stereotypes, believed that slavery wasexploitive and that slave rebellions occurred frequently. Was a committedsocialist and believed that class antagonisms were important tounderstanding the past.

Nat Turners Rebellion: A Historical MarkerYou have been commissioned by the state of Virginia Historical Trust to develop a historical marker that will be placed along the roadside adjacent to the area impacted by Nat Turner and his followers. You task is to develop the inscription for the marker that describes your interpretation of Nat Turner and his actions. Your inscription should take into account:1. The specific factors involved in the event2. The various reactions to Nat Turner (artistic and other)