Abstract
This paper explains why American history needs to honor and acknowledge Nat Turner's rebellion and other slave rebellions as an integral part of American history similar to the way that we honor and appreciate the revolts of the American colonists. The[paper argues that the slave revolts are often ignored because they show a darker side of American history, one that shows blacks as less than human, not worthy of natural rights. The paper asserts that by righting this wrong, the United States can better fix the racial divide that exists in this country.

From the Paper
"Many American history buffs love to point out our rebellious history. Books are filled with stories of colonial resistance such as the Boston Tea Party, the burning of effigies, and the Revolutionary War. There are many stories of Daniel Shay's rebellion against the young federal government. Yet one story that receives little attention is the story of Nat Turner's rebellion. His story is an excellent example of how some slaves fought back and resisted their oppressors. This caused great fear in the outnumbered Southern whites, so they created institutions such as..."

Tags:nat, turner, rebellion

Abstract
This paper is about the Nat Turner's slave rebellion, known as the only successful such revolution. It deals extensively with William Styron's novel, "Confessions of Nat Turner," comparing it to the primary source written by Thomas Gray, of the same name. It also discusses numerous newspaper accounts of the event, analyzing the evolving story, and the different biases in reporting. The paper examines critiques of Styron's novel, "Ten Black Writers respond...", and Styron's defenses. Finally, the paper compares Turner's role as a villain to that of modern-day "villains."

From the Paper
"The Merriam Webster Collegiate Dictionary defines the word history as a branch of knowledge that records and explains past events . It is often in this explanation that historians will differ. When all presented with similar primary sources, each must chose their own way to understand and explain the unrecorded reasons behind certain actions. Occasionally these explanations will be based on one s own biases or agendas. Often primary sources themselves, though externally objective, may attempt to influence their readers toward a specific point of view. Similar disputes frequently recur over time, when similar historical situations occur. How one understands Nat Turner and his role in the Southampton slave revolt occurring in 1831, given its connections to such sensitive topics as race and religion, may largely be based on such predispositions. Additionally, cases like that of Turner seem to take place during each generation, leading to similar recurring disputes."

Tags:abolitionist, bias, black, garrison, negro, revolution, slave, turner

Abstract
This paper discusses the book, "The Fires of Jubilee: Nat Turner's Fierce Rebellion" by Stephen B. Oates, which recounts the life and times of Nat Turner as he led the 1831 slave rebellion in Virginia. A background is provided about the author. The book is summarized thoroughly, presenting all the central characters and the main points of the historical account. The writer offers a personal critique and evaluation of the book.

From the Paper
"The author also discusses the plight of Nat's mother, Nancy who was born in Africa and lived through the Trans Atlantic voyage known as the middle passage. Nancy was taken from Africa when she was only a teenager. The book was graphic in describing the voyage and the plight of the Africans aboard and the way that they were treated by white Europeans. Nancy was very opposed to slavery and taught her son that people should be free. The lessons that Nancy taught Nat stayed with him for the rest of his life."

Tags:nancy, virginia, southampton, freedom, slavery, turner, travis

Abstract
The paper looks at the background of Nat Turner and describes what became known as Nat Turner's Rebellion. The paper outlines the Virginia militia's response to the rebellion and explains why Virginia whites would be so distraught about an ultimately unsuccessful slave rebellion. The paper discusses how what Nat Turner's rebellion made clear is that slaves were not content to live in bondage, and while the rebellion may have been unsuccessful as a revolt, it was one of the many puzzle pieces necessary to end the practice of slavery.

Outline:
Introduction
Nat Turner
Nat Turner's Rebellion
Virginia Militia's Response to the Rebellion
Haiti
Consequences
Conclusion

From the Paper
"One of the most historically significant events in Virginia history began on August 21, 1831 in Southampton County, when a slave by the name of Nat Turner led a small group of slaves in the most successful slave revolt ever on United States' soil. As anyone familiar with American history knows, Nat Turner's Rebellion, as it came to be called, was ultimately unsuccessful. Despite plans to slaughter any whites that they encountered, thus preventing anyone from escaping and getting help to quash the rebellion, Turner and his followers committed a fatal mistake by permitting some people to live. The survivors did manage to seek help and the militia came in and killed all of the rebel slaves, and a significant portion of slaves in the area who had not participated in the rebellion. Nat Turner was captured and executed for his role in the rebellion."

Tags:Virginia, militia, whites, blacks, uprising

Abstract
This paper takes a look at a slave uprising as documented in Stephen Oat's book Fires of Jubilee: Nat Turner's Fierce Rebellion. It analyzes the main character of the book, Nat Turner and how his seemingly small scale revolution set the wheels in motion for the eventual abolishment of slavery.

From the paper:

"Stephen Oates, in his book Fires of Jubilee: Nat Turner's Fierce Rebellion, crafts a compelling story. The story of this slave rebellion is indeed so compelling a one that it would be hard to imagine a telling of it that was not fascinating. But in the end Oates, despite his credentials, does a disservice both to Turner and to the larger forces at work in the decades before the Civil War. In order to assess Oates's treatment of Turner, it would be useful to examine what is generally known and agreed to about Turner. He was born on a plantation in Southampton County, Virginia, in 1800 and was from a very early age a popular religious leader among his fellow slaves. In part due no doubt to whatever had motivated him to become interested in preaching and in part because he was so popular with other slaves who came to listen to him talk about God, Turner became convinced that he had been chosen by God to lead his people to freedom."

Tags:freedom, revolution, lynche, martyr, motivation, research, rebellion, facts, North, South, plantation

Abstract
In this paper, the writer looks at the book "The Confessions of Nat Turner" which is described as a novel of historical fiction. The writer notes that Styron writes the novel in first person and the story is ostensibly told by Nat Turner himself, forcing the reader to look at the complex issues that led to the rebellion. The writer maintains that the reader is forced to see Nat Turner as a complex and conflicted human being. Further, the writer discusses the ideas of slavery and freedom within the novel. The writer concludes that as a whole, the book gives the reader an in-depth view of what it might have been like to be an angry slave during the time depicted.

From the Paper
"Although the book is divided into four parts, the parts do not follow a sequential structure. The images we get of Nat Turner and his thoughts are fragmented and shift between time periods. This adds to the credibility of Styron's fiction. A person under the kinds of stress Nat Turner was in prison would not calmly recall his life in an orderly and sequential way. Instead, images, events or comments would trigger a wave of memories. Only gradually can the reader piece together the sequential events of Nat Turner's life.
Inevitably, the book deals with the idea of freedom. Nat Turner is quite taken with the young white woman Miss Margaret, whom he occasionally drives from place to place. Miss Margaret claims to be an abolitionist, reads poetry to Nat and listens to him recite psalms."

Tags:slave, white, freedom, rebellion

Abstract
This paper examines Stephen B. Oates's book, "Fires of Jubilee: Nat Turner's Fierce Rebellion," in an attempt to determine who Nat Turner really was and why he did what he did. The paper includes some first-hand observations about this region of the country during the last part of the 20th century. The paper contends that the historical record presented by Oates shows that Nat Turner reacted by engaging in a series of violent acts that reflected the violent nature of the times.

From the Paper
"During the 1500's and 1600's, the colonization of the New World by Europeans resulted in the rapid expansion of slavery; however, changing moral attitudes about slavery helped to bring about its decline during the 1800's. According to Stephen B. Oates, Nat Turner is the most famous and most controversial slave rebel in American history. Turner's portrayal in William Styron's novel, The Confessions of Nat Turner, as "a celibate bachelor given to masturbating about white women" has only served to fuel the controversy. Stephen B. Oates provides a thorough examination of who Nat Turner really was, and why he did what he did in this book, including some first-hand observations about this region of the country during the last part of the 20th century."

Tags:civil, cotton, emancipation, slavery, war

Abstract
In this article, the writer notes that Nat Turner lead the largest and one of the most successful slave rebellions in American history in 1831, long before the American Civil War took place. However, the writer points out that most of the other facts about Turner's life remain elusive in the eyes of writers and historians alike. The writer discusses that to flesh out the myths and legends surrounding Turner's complicated theology, rebellion, and psychology, 19th century American historian Stephen Oates attempts to provide a speculative history as to the context of the plantation life in which Turner was reared as a slave. The writer looks at how Turner came to view himself as a prophetic figure and lead the fierce rebellion of the title. The writer notes that Oates suggests that Turner was both an extraordinary figure, a man whose rebellion changed the South, but also an ordinary man, who showed amazing courage, intelligence, and brutality in the face of history.

From the Paper
"In his book, Oates portrays slavery and the slave community as a totally enclosing institution, with heavy white control upon slave mobility, intellectually and geographically. This partially explains why more blacks did not rebel with Turner, he surmises. He also examines the empowering nature of slave religion, which originated as an instrument of white control upon slaves, but which also acted as a tool of empowerment for some slaves like Turner, who believed that his visions gave him prophetic status and the right to free his people. Religion and Christianity was a double-edged sword for slaves, preaching meekness when transmitted in the voices of slave-owners, but also a gospel of judgment, where the mighty would be brought low by the oppressed, in the name of justice."

Tags:slave, plantation, blacks, narrative

Abstract
This paper presents the views of a lawyer who is looking to make a successful appeal in the Nat Turner case. This case refers to the "Nat Turner rebellion", where a slave lead his fellows in an uprising in the town of Southampton in which fifty- seven whites were killed and the community buildings seriously impacted. This case is considered to be one of the most dramatic events towards abolition, for it demonstrated that the slaves in the United States were no longer content to remain as slaves.

Abstract
This paper examines the story of Nat Turner's rebellion and its effect on slave resistance. The paper explains that Turner's story is significant because it meant different things for many people in America. For blacks, Turner was a symbol of hope and resistance, and to Southern whites, he represented their greatest fear, that the oppressed blacks would not tolerate their conditions much longer. The paper looks at how Turner's "confession" helped to galvanize the anti-slavery movement in the North. The paper then points out that it is important that Americans acknowledge the slave rebellions because they meant so many different things to many different people. The paper also suggests that knowing that slaves fought courageously for their natural rights might inspire modern-day African Americans and replace some of the defeatist attitude that is evident in some black cultures. It would also make white America acknowledge their sins of the past and come to terms with them. The writer believes that by understanding and acknowledging America's dark past, the country can make a better effort to atone for the mistakes of the past by helping many African Americans bring their standard of living up to that of other American ethnic groups.

From the Paper
"Before he died, he told his story to Thomas Gray, who turned it into the book, "The Confessions of Nat Turner". Gray manipulated much of Turner's story to portray the rebellious slaves not as people pushed to their limits and fighting for their natural rights, but as savages bent on bloodthirsty revenge. This story sent shockwaves throughout the divided country. Many Southerners used it as justification to commit violent crimes against blacks and to enforce stricter slavery laws."

Turner's story is significant because it meant different things for many people in America. For blacks, Turner was a symbol of hope and resistance. He was a spiritual man who was doing what God had told him to do. To Southern whites, he represented their greatest fear, that the oppressed blacks would not tolerate their conditions much longer. His "confession" helped to galvanize the anti-slavery movement in the North."

Tags:race, anti-slavery, opressed, blacks, whites