On the evening of August 21; 1831; Nat Turner and six men launched their infamous rebellion against slaveholders. The rebels swept through Southampton County; Virginia; recruiting slaves to their ranks and killing nearly five dozen whites-more than had ever been killed in any slave revolt in American history. Although a hastily assembled group of whites soon suppressed the violence; its repercussions had far-reaching consequences.In The Land Shall Be Deluged in Blood; Patrick H. Breen uses the dramatic events in Southampton to explore the terrible choices faced by members of the local black community as they considered joining the rebels; a choice that would likely cost them their lives; supporting their masters; or somehow avoiding taking sides. Combining fast-paced narrative with rigorous analysis; Breen shows how; as whites regained control; slaveholders created an account of the revolt that saved their slaves from white retribution; the most dangerous threat facing the slaveholders' human property. By probing the stories slaveholders told that allowed them to get non-slaveholders to protect slave property; The Land Shall Be Deluged in Blood reveals something surprising about both the fragility and power of slavery.
#727418 in Books 2014-10-28Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 5.80 x .70 x 8.20l; .0 #File Name: 0199759987216 pages
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. GoodBy MarthaGreat book to learn about the civil war. It was foe my history project; I thought it was going to be bored but it was a good piece to read6 of 8 people found the following review helpful. A terrific readBy Ravematic101I have had an abiding interest in the War between the States since I was a child. My roots go back to General Wade Hampton of South Carolina; so my interest is constant.This short book does an amazing job of capturing the sights and smells of the Civil War. I was impressed with the background work done by Mr. Smith and how it was translated in the book as something you could almost taste. From the shelling of Fort Sumter to the siege of Vicksburg; it is a difficult book to put down. I give it 5 stars for sure!1 of 2 people found the following review helpful. This book was interesting but it felt like the author struggled to find enough to write about ...By Iceland SparThis book was interesting but it felt like the author struggled to find enough to write about and the examples needed fleshing out. I realize however that in our modern world with the sanitation many of us enjoy it is not easy to elaborate on the sensory experiences of the past. All in all and enjoyable book but a little diappointing.
