Stone cautioned, however, against viewing the Confessionsof Nat Turner as a fixed pole of reference, setting terms for critical discourse and settling questions of historical fact or interpretation. Each retelling of the story represented a new social transaction in which Grays text figured as one more or less authoritative voice. Doomed from the start, Turners insurrection was handicapped by lack of discipline among his followers and by the fact that only 75 Blacks rallied to his cause. 13. Perhaps for similar reasons, when blacks referred Turner at the trials, they called him Captain Nat or General Nat, instead of alluding to his religious position as a preacher or a prophet. How does the consumer pay for a company's environmentally responsible inventions? Long Waits, Short Appointments, Huge Bills. (She was found next to a pile of bodies). Libraries Thomas R. Gray wrote this document. How does Equiano describe the Middle Passage? Browne points out that by assuring the reader of the texts veracity and by designating the monstrous motives that drove him to such deeds, Gray prefigures not only the narrative to follow but establishes the readers preferred stance toward it, which given the events is a negative one (Browne, 319). THOMAS R. GRAY, In the prison where he was con ned, and acknowledged by him to be such when read before the Court of South-ampton; with the certi cate, under seal of the Court convened at Jerusalem, Nov. 5, 1831, for his trial. In an effort to make the pamphlet even more persuasive, Gray makes another very interesting move. to endure. 55, 40 Which is greater 36 yards 2 feet and 114 feet 2 inch? Spreading terror throughout the white South, his action set off a new wave of oppressive legislation prohibiting the education, movement, and assembly of slaves and stiffened proslavery, antiabolitionist convictions that persisted in that region until the American Civil War (186165). Gray's own editorial comments are clear at the beginning of the text when, before beginning his "record" of Turner's words, he recounts how Turner was captured "by a single individual . Vocabulary diabolical: evil, devilish prophet: a person considered to be a messenger of God perverted: corrupted Turner pleads not guilty and is quickly found guilty and sentenced to death via hanging (p. 20). Thomas R. In doing so, he blurred the line between slave narrative and enslavers public record. His revolt hardened proslavery attitudes among Southern whites and led to new oppressive legislation prohibiting the education, movement, and assembly of slaves. Turner was born the property of a prosperous small-plantation owner in a remote area of Virginia. He published The Confessions of Nat Turner, the leader of the late insurrection in Southampton, Va., as fully and voluntarily made to Thomas R. Gray in November 1831, after Turner had been executed.. For as the blood of Christ had been shed on this earth, and had . In the Confessions, Nat Turner appears more a fanatic than a practical liberator. Nat Turner destroyed the white Southern myth that slaves were actually happy with their lives or too docile to undertake a violent rebellion. In February, Southampton, located in southern Virginia, experienced a solar eclipse, which Turner interpreted as a providential signal to start recruiting potential rebels. [4], In 1824 he would write saying he didnt have anything else to do but turn to law. Turner reportedly answered, Was not Christ crucified? Through the open cell door, we see the barely visible features of NAT TURNER covered in chains in the small jail cell. 2023 TIME USA, LLC. When he was in the woods, the Holy Spirit appeared to Turner and ordered him to return to the service of my earthly masterFor he who knoweth his Master's will, and doeth it not, shall be beaten with many stripes, and thus, have I chastened you. When the slaves heard Turner quote the slaveholders favorite passage from Luke, the slaves themselves rejected Turners claims to prophesy. Often these churches black members met separately from its white members, but on communion day the entire church black and white came together to commemorate Jesuss last supper. With the help of his father, Gray acquired extensive holdings in land and enslaved people. Du Bois and Booker T. Washington differ? Your Privacy Rights An eclipse of the sun in February 1831 inspired Turner to confide in four fellow enslaved men: Henry, Hark, Nelson, and Sam. As important, it presented historians and writers of later generations with a definitive account of the event, straight from the mouth of the rebel leader himself. He began to exert a powerful influence on many of the nearby slaves, who called him the Prophet.. How were Thomas Sankara and Fred Hampton alike? Turners reported answer: Was not Christ crucified?, The pamphlet created a powerful, enduring image of Turner narrating his own story as Gray looked on in horror: The calm, deliberate composure with which he spoke of his late deeds and intentions, the expression of his fiendlike face when excited by the enthusiasm, still bearing the blood of helpless innocence about him; clothed with rags and covered with chains; yet daring to raise his manacled hands to heaven, with a spirit soaring above the attributes of man; I looked on him and my blood curdled in my veins., Virginia newspapers helped to promote and publicize the Confessions of Nat Turner. While Turner valued the Bible, he rejected the corollary that scripture alone was the only reliable source of guidance on matters religious and moral. Although it is not surprising that whites rejected Turners religious views, they were also suspect in the black community. Meanwhile, the book arguably is one of two American literary classics to come from the revolt, the other being The Confessions of Nat Turner, the Pulitzer Prizewinning novel by Virginia-native William Styron, published at the height of the Black Power movement in September 1967. No slave uprising, before or after the incident, had inflicted such a blow on the ranks of slaveholders and their families in the United States. Turner begins his story by describing his childhood. It ought to teach [William Lloyd] Garrison and the other fanatics of the North how they meddle with these weak wretches. Garrison, for his part, read the Confessionsof Nat Turner as a testimonial to the heroic stature of Turner. In Virginia in August 1831, Nat Turner led the only effective and sustained slave revolt in U.S. history, during which some 60 white persons were slain. He also at some point married Mary A. It was intended by us to have begun the work of death on the 4th July last, Turner noted. Virginia Humanities acknowledges the Monacan Nation, the original people of the land and waters of our home in Charlottesville, Virginia. Thomas R. Gray, a lawyer and plantation owner assigned as Turner's defense counsel, interviewed Turner during his trial and later published The Confessions of Nat Turner, a pamphlet containing the story of Turner's rebellion from his own point of view. Don't use plagiarized sources. He was the youngest of six children of Thomas and Anne Cocke Brewer Gray. Moreover, there is a chance for irregular supplies of grazing resources and a high incidence of pests and diseases in livestock (Bhasin 2011). Although he is commonly thought of as Nat Turner's lawyer, James Strange French is the person listed in official records as Turner's lawyer. How did Shirley Chisholm describe her life? Gray was born in 1800, the same year as Turner. Why did people like Booker T. Washington? Another interesting thing about the confessions is the speaking style Gray claims Turners confessed the events of the insurgence in. Turner, on the other hand, learned how to read as a child, and his Bible was the book that he knew intimately. Nat Turner on His Battle against Slavery. What did Frederick Jackson Turner focus on the importance of? For example, as TIME explained in 1964, a teachers guide had to be distributed to schools to point out to educators and students that contrary to folklore, slaves hated slavery so passionately that thousands joined bloody revolts. Turner described himself as uncommonly intelligent for a child (Gray, 6). This electronic online edition is based on the first edition, published at Baltimore, MD, in November 1831. He recounts the "Confession" in the first person, hoping thereby to simulate Turner's voice (p. 7). First, God communicated directly to him: at one point, "the Lord had shewn me things that had happened before my birth.". Gray vividly describes Turners unrelenting nature as, The calm, deliberate composure with which he spoke of his late deeds and intentions, the expression of his fiend-like face when excited by enthusiasm, still bearing the stains of the blood of helpless innocence about him; clothed with rags and covered with chains; yet daring to raise his manacled hands to heaven, with a spirit soaring above the attributes of man; I looked on him and my blood curdled in my veins (Gray, 11). Turner immediately understood this peculiar event as a signal from God that the time to begin the revolt had arrived. In 1967, the novelist William Styron published a novel based upon Turners Confessions. I looked on him and my blood curdled in my veins. Through Gray, Turner successfully manipulated the insecurities of the master class to broadcast his message. Almost all of those involved or suspected of involvement in the insurrection were put to death, including Nat Turner, who was the last known conspirator to be captured. Get access to this video and our entire Q&A library, What Is Slavery? With Turner firmly established as author of the Confessionsof Nat Turner and his radical commentary on race and American democracy fully explicated, the text could assume its rightful place in the literary canon of the American Renaissance. He and his brother Edwin got involved in court after being involved in a public fight which disturbed the peace. After firing his rifle, he discharged his gun at them, and then broke it over the villain who first approached him, but he was overpowered, and slain. His mother was an African native who transmitted a passionate hatred of slavery to her son. Indeed, Sundquist wrote, given its formative role in the course of African American cultural history and both anti- and proslavery argument, it is hard to imagine why Turners Confessions should not be accorded the same attention granted, say, Emersons Self-Reliance or Thoreaus Civil Disobedience.'. Yet, when Turner fell ill, the date passed without action. He argues that the revolt was an isolated event solely fueled by Turners religious extremism and not retaliation against the institution of slavery. how to and when to commit this slave revolt. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. His answer was, I do not. Even though Turners situation was a unique one, slave owners at the time had to recognize the potentiality for violence iven the peculiar mix of social, psychological, and racial tensions shaping life on the antebellum plantation thus required a certain logic with which threats to that way of life might be explained (Browne, 316). Any suggestion of a voluntary collaboration between Turner, a Black slave accused of insurrection, and Gray, a white lawyer with a keen interest in maintaining the Southern social order, struck Fabricanta practicing lawyeras naive and dangerously misleading. I was determined to end public curiosity and write down Nat Turner's statements, and publish . Spring of 1831, his family lost essentially all of their taxable slaves, its assumed they were forced to sell them because theres no records of them ever freeing anyone. an academic expert within 3 minutes. Learn the history of the U.S. slavery system, including the definition of an abolitionist and their work versus the pro-slavery movement. He resigned as a Justice of Peace. The late insurrection in Southampton has greatly excited the public mind, and led to a thousand idle, exaggerated and mischievous reports. Why was Nat Turner's Rebellion important? All other trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective owners. To those who thought Turner ignorant, Gray responded: He certainly never had the advantages of education, but he can read and write, (it was taught to him by his parents,) and for natural intelligence and quickness of apprehension, is surpassed by few men I have seen., Gray disputed any suggestion that Turner acted out of base motives, that his object was to murder and rob for the purpose of obtaining money to make his escape. NAT TURNER, THE LEADER OF THE LATE. Nat Turner is regarded as a hero by large numbers of black people worldwide. The Spirit that spoke to the prophets in former daysand I was greatly astonished, and for two years prayed continually, whenever my duty would permitand then again I had the same revelation, which fully confirmed me in the impression that I was ordained for some great purpose in the hands of the Almighty. Ironically, The Confessions of Nat Turner also sparked renewed interest in the original Confessions of Nat Turner. Home | The calm way he spoke of his late actions, the expression of his fiend-like face when excited by enthusiasm, still bearing the stains of the blood of helpless innocence about him. How were Gabriel Prosser, Denmark Vesey, and Nat Turner similar? After his revolt was violently suppressed by local whites and the Virginia state militia, Nat Turner went into hiding but was eventually captured, tried, and hanged. By stating this, it is implied that Turner gave his accounts of that night freely and honestly and that Gray transcribed Turners story word for word. Working through a white recorder, Turner used the vehicle of the confessions to impose his prophetic voice on the narrative of the event. Thomas R. Gray was a lawyer in Southampton, Virginia, where he visited Nat Turner in jail. What are some positive impacts Nat Turner? But he himself only ever lived in Southampton. As for the sincerity and truthfulness of the prisoner, Gray said he cross-examined Turner and found his statement corroborated by the confessions of other prisoners and other circumstances. Within a week his pamphlet appeared, and it is estimated over 50,000 copies were sold in the next few months. Turner reportedly answered, "Was not Christ crucified? My Account | He also says that he had a natural talent for planning and leadership, so that, even when he was a child, the other black children expected him to plan their roguery because of his superior judgment (Gray, 5). Turner describes two other ways that God communicated with him. ] For Turner, but not necessarily for everyone who joined his revolt, the Southampton Revolt was part of an unfolding modern biblical drama. Nat Turner escaped until October 30, when he was caught in the immediate vicinity, having used several hiding places over the previous 9 weeks. Thomas Gray, The Confessions of Nat Turner His Parents Two of the other slaves who came into Benjamin Turner's holdings in January of 1793 were listed as Abraham and Anne. Why did Turner write the Frontier Thesis? The author describes Nat as intelligent because of his thinking and highly dangerous because of his actions and how Nat doesn't feel any sorrow for his actions. Has Nat Turner changed his mind about the rebellion? Nearly two centuries later, the legacy of that question is still evolving. Baltimore: T. R. Gray, 1831. . In what ways did the views of W.E.B. When captured after the revolt, Turner readily placed his revolt in a biblical context, comparing himself at some times to the Old Testament prophets, at another point to Jesus Christ. Type your requirements and Ill connect you to A series of incidents, beginning in childhood, confirmed Turner in the belief that he was intended for some great purpose and that he would surely be a prophet. His father and mother strengthened him in this belief, as did his grandmother, who was very religious, his master, who belonged to the church, and other religious persons who visited the house.. The narrative also includes details from the trial, in which Turner was charged with "making insurrection, and plotting to take away the lives of divers free white persons." Advertising Notice . So the first question is, who was Gray and why was he doing this? Get your custom essay on, Rhetorical Analysis of the Confessions of Nat Turner , Get to Know The Price Estimate For Your Paper, "You must agree to out terms of services and privacy policy". This was not the only time that the religious Turner found himself at odds with the men who would join his revolt. Also, Turner thought it was God's will for him to lead a First, God communicated directly to him: at one point, the Lord had shewn me things that had happened before my birth. At another point, the Holy Ghost had revealed itself to me. On May 12, 1828, the Spirit instantly appeared to me. When asked by Gray what Turner meant by the Spirit, Turner responded The Spirit that spoke to the prophets in former days. Turner saw himself as a modern prophet. On November 10th, Gray registered his copyright for the Confessions, in Washington, D.C. . A thirty-year old attorney, THOMAS R. GRAY, his clothes clean but frayed, speaks to the JAILER. Patrick H. Breen teaches at Providence College. The leader of the deadly slave revolt had a deep Christian faith that propelled his rebellious actions. Students looking for free, top-notch essay and term paper samples on various topics. Why is the Turner Thesis important to understanding America? How did James Watson characterize Rosalind Franklin? Several years rolled round, in which many events occurred to strengthen me in this my belief. The Confessions of Nat Turner, the leader of the late insurrection in Southampton, Va., as fully and voluntarily made to Thomas R. Gray is a pamphlet published shortly after the trial and execution of Nat Turner in November 1831. Ans. Like other scholars, Tomlins examines the material that Gray added to the text to pinpoint Gray's agenda, which "cage" the text by directing readers' interpretation in a certain way (38). Is the volume of resulting sugar mixture equal more than or less than the sum (20 ml sugar 50 ml water ) of the volumes of the unmixed sugar and water? In an essay titled Thomas R. Gray and William Styron: Finally, A Critical Look at the 1831 Confessions of Nat Turner, published in the American Journal of Legal History (1993), Fabricant theorized that most scholars accepted the Confessionsof Nat Turner at face value despite seemingly obvious reasons for doubting its veracity because they had an enormous literary-historical stake in the authentication of the Gray-Turner narrative. What are the advantages and disadvantages of video capture hardware? Turner was instructed to await the appearance of a sign in the heavens before communicating his great work to any others. His mother (Ann Gray) died before 1820 and after this his father began distributing inheritance. It is notorious, that he was never known to have a dollar in his life; to swear an oath; or drink a drop of spirits. Nor was Turner motivated by revenge or sudden anger. Turners confessions made clear that he viewed Joseph Travis as a kind master against whom he had no special grievance. How is Socrates portrayed differently by Plato and Xenophon. Gray had witnessed the aftermath of the killings, interviewed other participants, and survivors, and had supplied written accounts to various newspapers. - Definition & Abolition. Illustration (19th-century) of the discovery of Nat Turner following the failure of his rebellion, A Brief History of the Clinton Family's Chocolate-Chip Cookies, The 25 Defining Works of the Black Renaissance. Thomas Gray's book Confessions of Nat Turner (1831) was the first document claiming to present Nat Turner's words regarding the rebellion and his life. ALSO, AN . He was born sometime in the early 1800s, the exact date is unknown. [8] Gray then worked with Theodore Trezevant at compiling lists of the killed and the defendants. Why did Nat Turner became an insurrectionist? Nat Turner, an enslaved preacher and self-styled prophet, leads the deadliest revolt of enslaved people in Virginia's history, which in just twelve hours leaves fifty-five white people dead in Southampton County. 14. Turner believes that the signs indicate Christ "was now returning to earth again in the form of dew" and "the great day of judgment" had arrived (pp. Most slaves could not read. Styron, who died in 2006, recognized the cottage industry he had spurred as an ironic consequence of his own meditation on history., Encyclopedia Virginia946 Grady Ave. Ste. The text was taken from a jailhouse account given by Turner in 1831, shortly before his death. Gray, who claimed to have said little during Turners narration, asked Turner at one point if he did not find himself mistaken now that the deeds to which he had been called by the spirit had ended in calamity. A teacher walks into the Classroom and says If only Yesterday was Tomorrow Today would have been a Saturday Which Day did the Teacher make this Statement? With the eclipse, the seal was removed from my lips, and I communicated the great work laid out for me to do, to four in whom I had the greatest confidence, the first conspirators to join his plot. [3], Gray said in 1834 that he had studied law in his youth but theres no record of him going to college or a law school at any point. Do clownfish have a skeleton or exoskeleton. Terms of Use How are Thomas Jefferson and George Washington different? His stable held 23 horses in 1821, making it the third largest in the county. Gray captured Turner's words in an effort to understand, and thus control, the assault that had been made on his society. Nat turner was a leader and he did help slaves to be free. Rather than simply describing the events of the insurrection as they happened, the narrative delved deeper into Turners character. Book/Printed Material The confessions of Nat Turner, the leader of the late insurrection in Southampton, Va. as fully and voluntarily made to Thomas R. Gray, in the prison where he was confined, and acknowledged by him to be such when read before the court of Southampton: with the certificate, under seal of the court convened at Jerusalem, Nov. 5, 1831, for his trial. How did Nat Turner believe he was set apart? Each of these texts has demonstrated the power of print media to shape popular perceptions of historical fact, even as each raised critical questions of accuracy, authenticity, and community control over historical interpretations of the past. What were the motives for Nat Turner's Rebellion? question, I suggest you search "The Confessions Of Nat Turner by In 1830 he becomes a founding member of the Jerusalem Jockey Club. His neighbors saw stars in the sky, not realizing that according to Turner, they were really the lights of the Saviour's hands, stretched forth from east to west. More often Turner looked at prodigiesor unusual natural phenomenaas indirect messages from God. About | Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. The editors of the Richmond Enquirer ran lengthy excerpts from the pamphlet and would have published more but for copyright restrictions. As a lawyer working on Turners case and a supporter of slavery, Gray probably did not feel compelled to present Turners motives and description of the insurrection. The opportunities to assess and reassess Turners legacy, however, are far from over: The Sundance sensation Nat Turner film, The Birth of a Nation, arrives in theaters in October. ", Become a Study.com member to unlock this answer! How were John C. Calhoun and Daniel Webster similar? When Turner tried to join one of these churches, the church refused to baptize the religious slave who saw himself as a prophet. He tells of being spoken to by the Holy Spirit, of seeing visions and signs in the heavensthat I was ordained for some great purpose in the hands of the Almighty. In Grays view, He is a complete fanatic, or plays his part most admirably. On November 5th, Nat Turner was tried and condemned to be executed; on November 9th, he was hanged. Nat Turner (18001831) was known to his local fellow servants in Southampton County as The Prophet. On the evening of Sunday, August 21, 1831, he met six associates in the woods at Cabin Pond, and about 2:00 a.m. they began to enter local houses and kill the white inhabitants. Turner begins his story by describing his childhood. There were a lot of errors in the two trying to name the dead and sometimes survivors were put with the dead by accident. Thomas Ruffin Gray, an enterprising white Southampton County lawyer, assumed the task of recording Turner's confessions. He was asked, if he knew of any extensive or concerted plan. He paid taxes on 2 horses and 14 slaves that were older than 12 that spring. Slaves Executed for the Nat Turner Revolt. What evidence do you have for answering this . But in the weeks immediately afterward, Americans everywhere clamored to know something that may now seem obvious: Why had he done it? > One-hundred and eighty-five years ago this week, in the early hours of Aug. 22, Turner and a some of his fellow slaves entered Turners masters home, having decided that Turner must spill the first blood to start the rebellion, as Turner would later recount. You have reached your limit of free articles. The obvious inconsistency between the voice supposedly speaking and the actual language used in this document lessens its authenticity. Thomas R. Gray: Nat Turner is a complete fanatic. To do so, he had to establish that the confession was voluntary, that the transcript was accurate, and that Turner was telling the truth. Nat Turner, by contrast, freely and voluntarily confessed his role as mastermind of the 1831 uprising and offered a detailed account of the conspiracy from the perspective of the rebel leader. Why was Thomas Johnson famous for Maryland? How did Thomas Jefferson show civic virtue? Gray hoped to replace a thousand idle, exaggerated and mischievous reports with a single, authoritative account of the event. Give us your email address and well send this sample there. [2], Gray wanted to live at Round Hill (his dad's house was located here) instead of being involved in law. How did generals Winfield Scott and Zachary Taylor differ? How did Sir Thomas More change the world? The late insurrection in Southampton has greatly excited the public mind, and led to a thousand idle, exaggerated and mischievous reports. Turners views on private revelation were not unlike those of his contemporaries Joseph Smith, the founder of Mormonism, and William Miller, the father of the Adventist movement. How was George Washington treated by Edward Braddock? [3], In 1829 he bought his brother Roberts property - who had recently died - (giving him 800 acres of real property), he also bought a lot - a piece of land - in town with a house and got of another one. Dont know where to start? This interview was published as, "The Confessions of. In The Confessions of Nat Turner, Thomas R. Gray attempted to provide the public with a better understanding of the origin and progress of this dreadful conspiracy, and the motives which influences its diabolical actors (Gray, 3). In Southampton county Black people came to measure time from Nats Fray, or Old Nats War. For many years in Black churches throughout the country, the name Jerusalem referred not only to the Bible but also covertly to the place where the rebel slave had met his death. What factors led to the ultimate defeat of Nat Turner? Grays description of his own apprehensions while transcribing Turners confession was intended to demonstrate the insurrections effect on slave owners at the time. Without the literary-historical controversy surrounding Styrons novel, however, the 1831 Confessions of Nat Turner most likely would not be enjoying this scholarly renaissance. Gray was born in 1800, the same year as Turner. There is also an expenditure of additional energy for the movement by livestock and humans (Osuji 1974; Turner et al. How did Stokely Carmichael show character? Gray used his supposed knowledge of law from 1819 to 1822 because of this case. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. As July 4th approached, he worried himself sick and postponed the revolt. Faulkner who, in speaking of the differences between the North and the South, was particularly prescient: You must adopt some plan of emancipation, he declared, or worse will follow., Get your history fix in one place: sign up for the weekly TIME History newsletter, During the mid-20th century, the Nat Turner story was revisited by many, in the course of the movement for the study of black history in schools, an attempt to remedy the fact that many mainstream textbooks glossed over or omitted major turning points in the history of the U.S. if the people involved were black. County as the prophet how did thomas r gray describe nat turner why was he doing this not surprising that whites rejected Turners claims prophesy... Simulate Turner 's voice ( p. 7 ) given by Turner in 1831 shortly! The ultimate defeat of Nat Turner destroyed the white Southern myth that slaves were actually happy with their or! 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Richmond Enquirer ran lengthy excerpts from the pamphlet and would have published more but for copyright restrictions the by... These weak wretches knowledge of law from 1819 to 1822 because of this case May 12,,! Looked at prodigiesor unusual natural phenomenaas indirect messages from God Socrates portrayed differently by Plato Xenophon!, Virginia events occurred to strengthen me in this document lessens its authenticity and blood... Editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the.! That God communicated with him. there is also an expenditure of additional energy for the Confessions, in many... His brother Edwin got involved in court after being involved in a public which!, we see the barely visible features of Nat Turner is a complete fanatic, or plays his part read. Her son Gray claims Turners confessed the events of the U.S. slavery system, including the definition of unfolding... Disadvantages of video capture hardware revolt had a deep Christian faith that propelled his rebellious.. Gray makes another very interesting move how did thomas r gray describe nat turner the Spirit that spoke to ultimate. And write down Nat Turner also sparked renewed interest in the first person, hoping thereby to Turner... Are the property of their respective owners six children of thomas and Anne Cocke Brewer.! Among Southern whites and led to new oppressive legislation prohibiting the education, movement, and assembly of.!
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