Nat Turner's Slave Revolt-1831

In rural Virginia in August 1831, a slave by the name of Nat Turner gathered a small band of fellow blacks expressly to throw off the yoke of slavery by slaughtering their white masters. Starting deep in the night, the group moved through the countryside killing, picking up weapons and ammunition, and adding to their numbers. Rapidly, the farmers rallied, and the militia was assembled. On meeting resistance, the rebels became discouraged and within twenty-four hours, the rebellion was ended, leaving about sixty victims in its wake. Importantly, this primary source portfolio sets the stage for the uprising by depicting the conditions of life for slave and slaveholder, and follows it through the capture and trials of the conspirators. It places in perspective the effects of the insurrection on the relationships of black and white for the years that followed. 5 Illustrated Broadsheet Essays: * Locale: Southampton County, Virginia, 1831 * Death and Destruction: August 21 to 23, 1831 * The Reaction * The Trials: August to November 1831 * Aftermath: Effects of the Insurrection 12 Primary Source Documents: * Contemporary print, "Nat Turner and his confederates" * Entry in journal of the Virginia Governor's Council for August 1831 * Contemporary print, "Horrid Massacre in Virginia" * List of the white persons who lost their lives in the insurrection * Copy of Governor John Floyd's proclamation of a reward for the capture of Nat Turner, September 17, 1831 * Copy of the receipt given to the captor of Nat Turner * Cover of "The Confessions of Nat Turner" to T.R. Gray, November 1831 * Copy of the record of the trial of Nat Turner, November 5, 1831 * List of persons brought before the Southampton County Court charged with participation in the insurrection * Certificate made by the Deputy Sheriff of Southampton County Court stating that he had executed Nat Turner * Governor Floyd to the Virginia General Assembly, December 1831 * Draft of a bill by the Governor to the General Assembly designed to effect stricter controls over "slaves, free negroes and mulattoes"