In 1800’s Virginia, slavery was a central part of southern life. For many plantation owners and farmers, owning slaves was a status symbol. In society, slavery served as a means of “racial control” (Fires of Jubilee, p. 10). White supremacists believed that if blacks were kept busy serving their masters, they would not have the time to revolt. Most plantation owners were not unreasonably cruel to their slaves; most owners would allow slaves the evenings to be with their families and holidays off. Compared to the Deep South, Virginia, especially Southampton County was merciful with their slaves. Not many people in this area owned slaves “over one-third of Southampton’s white families owned no slaves” (Fires of Jubilee, p. 2). Whites in this area had no experience with slave discontent; they believed the slaves were happy with their current conditions. …show more content…
When he was born, his body possessed symbolic birthmarks, which in African tradition, a male born with these marks was destined to become a leader (Fires of Jubilee, p. 12). It was obvious that from very young age he was wise beyond his years. His original master Benjamin Turner approved of his “superior intelligence” (Fires of Jubilee p. 13) and encouraged him to study the Bible. He would bring him along to prayer meetings and allow him to sit in the back of the chapel as the other guests gawked at his ability to read and recite prayers. The special treatment Nat received from the Turners was unintentionally a trick. When the time came and he grew to be of age to work in the fields, the freedom he once had was taken away and all the hope he had at becoming a freed black vanished in a blink of an