Was Christ not crucified?
Nat Turner(1800-1831)
Nat Turner's Background:
Nat Turner was born on the 2nd of October, and since his birth he was thought to be a child of great importance. His mother, grandmother and master had noticed he was intelligent, too good to be a slave because he was easily literate.(1) Turner was given an internship, but he would often teach himself many things about gunpowder and other tools. Other children looked up to Nat, and informed Nat of all plans occurring in the plantation. Nat devoted his free time to praying, devotion and fasting.(2)
Due to his pious life Turner believed that all things would get better. The first time a “voice” spoke to him, he prayed for the following two years. Whenever he prayed, Nat was brought back to the same thing, Turner believed he was to be used by God.(3) Although Turner was hesitant he was always told he was supposed to be more than a slave, so he started planning and Nat was confident in his plan because he knew people would follow him since he was a tool of god.(4)
Nat’s life continued to be filled with oddities, Turner ran away for thirty days, but came back because a spirit came to him and said “I had my wishes directed to the things of this world, and not to the kingdom of Heaven, and that I should return to the service of my earthly master'”.(5)The illusion of a spirit talking to Turner made him return and slaves began to believe that they should not have serve under a master due to Turner's spiritual ways. Soon after Nat Turner had a vision. He saw a sunless place with white and black spirits battling, he heard thunder and saw streams of blood. The voice spoke to him again “ ‘Such is your luck, such you are called to see, and let it come rough or smooth, you must surely bare it’ ”.(6) Nat knew from this vision in 1825 that he must rebel.
The Rebellion:
From Nat Turners final vision he knew that a rebellion was needed. He talked to his trusted friends, they came up with a plan. They would prepare there weapons and once a sign was given from above they would attack. On August 20th the men planned a dinner and invited all they knew who wished to be involved in the attack. They gathered forces and stated that no one was to be spared, not even women or children. After dinner they snuck in and Nat spilt the first blood at the home of Mr. J. Travis, killing mister and misses in there bed.(7)
From this day until he was caught Nat fought and hid for a cause he thought was right. Although he did end up killing more than 60 people and can be thought of as a mad man. Nat Turner did all of this for a cause, the freedom of whites. He did for a cause and became a living legend.
How Was This a Turning Point:
Nat Turner although a murder who lead an attack killing large number of people stood for a bold and moral person who fought for freedom. Nat Turner’s efforts “ ‘ inspired those advocated active, forceful resistance against institutionalized racism in the United states’ ”.(8)Although Nat Turners effects created slave owners to be on guard watching there slaves it also gave slaves courage. Nat Turner set a precedence for future rebellions. They would either have to be violent and successful or there was no point in some slaves eyes. General Nat was a name given to men who fight for the rights of the slaves.(9)
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Although Nat Turner's slave revolt was crushed and Nat Turner was hung this event was a turning point in the abolitionist movement. It gave slaves the knowledge that god did really want them to fight for their rights. It gave slaves courage to fight for all people suffering from the Peculiar System. This event also planted a seed in slave owners head, maybe their property actually could be equal to them. When Nat Turner was interviewed by Thomas Gray. Gray asked him if he found himself mistaken. Nat returned with “was christ not crucified?”.(10)
Nat Turner was born on the 2nd of October, and since his birth he was thought to be a child of great importance. His mother, grandmother and master had noticed he was intelligent, too good to be a slave because he was easily literate.(1) Turner was given an internship, but he would often teach himself many things about gunpowder and other tools. Other children looked up to Nat, and informed Nat of all plans occurring in the plantation. Nat devoted his free time to praying, devotion and fasting.(2)
Due to his pious life Turner believed that all things would get better. The first time a “voice” spoke to him, he prayed for the following two years. Whenever he prayed, Nat was brought back to the same thing, Turner believed he was to be used by God.(3) Although Turner was hesitant he was always told he was supposed to be more than a slave, so he started planning and Nat was confident in his plan because he knew people would follow him since he was a tool of god.(4)
Nat’s life continued to be filled with oddities, Turner ran away for thirty days, but came back because a spirit came to him and said “I had my wishes directed to the things of this world, and not to the kingdom of Heaven, and that I should return to the service of my earthly master'”.(5)The illusion of a spirit talking to Turner made him return and slaves began to believe that they should not have serve under a master due to Turner's spiritual ways. Soon after Nat Turner had a vision. He saw a sunless place with white and black spirits battling, he heard thunder and saw streams of blood. The voice spoke to him again “ ‘Such is your luck, such you are called to see, and let it come rough or smooth, you must surely bare it’ ”.(6) Nat knew from this vision in 1825 that he must rebel.
The Rebellion:
From Nat Turners final vision he knew that a rebellion was needed. He talked to his trusted friends, they came up with a plan. They would prepare there weapons and once a sign was given from above they would attack. On August 20th the men planned a dinner and invited all they knew who wished to be involved in the attack. They gathered forces and stated that no one was to be spared, not even women or children. After dinner they snuck in and Nat spilt the first blood at the home of Mr. J. Travis, killing mister and misses in there bed.(7)
From this day until he was caught Nat fought and hid for a cause he thought was right. Although he did end up killing more than 60 people and can be thought of as a mad man. Nat Turner did all of this for a cause, the freedom of whites. He did for a cause and became a living legend.
How Was This a Turning Point:
Nat Turner although a murder who lead an attack killing large number of people stood for a bold and moral person who fought for freedom. Nat Turner’s efforts “ ‘ inspired those advocated active, forceful resistance against institutionalized racism in the United states’ ”.(8)Although Nat Turners effects created slave owners to be on guard watching there slaves it also gave slaves courage. Nat Turner set a precedence for future rebellions. They would either have to be violent and successful or there was no point in some slaves eyes. General Nat was a name given to men who fight for the rights of the slaves.(9)
.
Although Nat Turner's slave revolt was crushed and Nat Turner was hung this event was a turning point in the abolitionist movement. It gave slaves the knowledge that god did really want them to fight for their rights. It gave slaves courage to fight for all people suffering from the Peculiar System. This event also planted a seed in slave owners head, maybe their property actually could be equal to them. When Nat Turner was interviewed by Thomas Gray. Gray asked him if he found himself mistaken. Nat returned with “was christ not crucified?”.(10)