Nat Turner, who led a slave revolt in Southampton, Virginiawas executed.
Nat Turner, a slave and a minister, who led the largest slave rebellion in the U.S., was executed on Nov. 11, 1831. Turner believed he was chosen by God to lead his people out of slavery and initiated the attack on Aug. 21, 1831, in Southampton, Virginia.
Starting out with seven followers, he eventually gathered about 75 people on his crusade that killed about 60 whites. A militia of 3,000 white men eventually captured and killed members of the group, while some had dispersed. Turner was captured in October that year and eventually hung in Jerusalem, Virginia, the following month.
In the aftermath, many African-Americans were lynched. There was also a wide-spread sentiment among masters to keep slaves from learning how to read to prevent other rebellions in the future.
