Anne,
Now that you've brought my name up, I must speak. If you went to the
link I gave you and read what the state wants us to teach in regard to Nat
Turner, you would see that like Kevin's email stated, it is the consequences of
the rebellion that is more important. The Virginia SOLs do NOT glorify Nat
Turner. Most of us on this list are professionals. I can only speak for
myself, but I do not teach selective history. I have an MA in history and I tell
both sides, facts, gore and all, but as an 11th grade teacher of U.S. History
and A. P. U.S. History, I am trying to get them to think in terms of cause
and effect--critical thinking--NOT telling them what they should think. I'm
afraid I have not had time to look at more than your Nat Turner entry--and I
would not recommend it to my students based on that entry--it smacks of
Wikipedia, another source I refuse to let my students use. Your intentions are
good, but your methodology is askew. You've been given some good advice from
historians on this list, I would take their advice.
Cynthia Hasley
In a message dated 11/12/2008 7:50:11 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:
Kevin,
I followed you advice and changed the wording of his "mission from God" to
that he "reported" it, which he did in his "Confession".
The page is not an essay and I do not provide my conclusions on other pages.
Of course, with the exceptions of Jefferson Davis and Harry Byrd, I have not
dealt with persons for whom conclusions can be drawn in such a manner. The
ONLY reason that Davis and Byrd are on the site is because they are in the
SOLs. The same reason guided me in including Nat Turner. My intent is to
include anyone specifically named in the SOLs, and until Ms Hasley said I'd
missed the fact that Nat Turner was there, I thought I had them all.
Anne Pemberton
[log in to unmask]
http://www.erols.com/apembert
http://www.educationalsynthesis.org
----- Original Message -----
From: "David Kiracofe" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, November 12, 2008 1:55 PM
Subject: Re: And Now Nat Turner
Anne,
As a matter of historical writing, it matters not one bit whether you or I
or any other reader believes in divine revelation, Turner did and so your
sentence simply should reflect that this was his own understanding. I
don't think that it clarifies matters for you, me, or anyone else to
categorize that understanding as true or as delusional. When I suggested in
my other post that Turner's belief might have been delusion, it was only to
emphasize the point that we really can't know something so unprovable. On
the other hand, Turner's white contemporaries certainly regarded him as
deranged and delusional. You might accurately note that.
As for final judgments of Turner, I don't see why your essay can't discuss
both reasons as well as actions and offer appropriate judgments on both.
Was Turner justified in fighting to end slavery? Certainly. Was murdering
people in their beds a bad thing? Yes. Indeed, by giving a fuller
treatment then you are really in a better position -- rhetorically -- to
bring in your legitimate critique of the vengeful response of Virginians and
their government. Otherwise you are engaging in an exercise in situational
ethics in which ends justify means. And I don't think you want to do that.
David Kiracofe
David Kiracofe
History
Tidewater Community College
Chesapeake Campus
1428 Cedar Road
Chesapeake, Virginia 23322
757-822-5136
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