Advanced Placement US History (AP US History) Practice Exam

Who led a notable slave revolt in South Carolina?

1. Frederick Douglass

2. Harriet Tubman

3. Nat Turner

4. Dred Scott

The correct answer is: Nat Turner

The notable slave revolt in South Carolina was led by Denmark Vesey, not Nat Turner, who is often associated with a separate and significant uprising in Virginia. However, the revolts in both cases were important in the broader context of resistance to slavery. Nat Turner’s Rebellion in 1831 was a significant slave uprising that occurred in Virginia, where Turner and his followers killed several dozen white people in an effort to instigate a larger revolt. While Turner’s actions were impactful and infamous, they took place in a different state than the one specified in this question. Frederick Douglass and Harriet Tubman were both key figures in the abolitionist movement, advocating for the end of slavery through speeches, writings, and their participation in the Underground Railroad, but they did not lead revolts. Dred Scott is best known for the landmark Supreme Court case that bore his name, which addressed the issues of slavery and citizenship rather than leading any form of revolt. Thus, while the answer points to an uprising led by Turner, it mistakenly attributes it to a specific location in South Carolina, where Vesey’s revolt was the prominent event.