Britannica Student Encyclopedia - 2010

The common turkey prefers places with

mild temperatures. It usually has black

feathers mixed with a shiny green or

bronze color. The head and neck are

featherless, bumpy, and bright red.

Males have a piece of red skin growing

from the forehead. Male turkeys often

make a gobbling sound while females

make a clicking noise.

Some common turkeys live in the wild.

They are found in parts of Mexico and

the United States.Wild turkeys prefer

forests and swamps. Males weigh about

22 pounds (10 kilograms), but females

are much smaller.Wild turkeys can fly,

but only for short distances.

Many common turkeys are kept on

farms and raised for food. These turkeys

are usually heavier, and they cannot fly.

Their feathers are usually white.

The ocellated turkey is found in Central

America. It is much smaller than the

common turkey. It has a blue head and

neck with reddish yellow bumps. Its tail

feathers are tipped with blue and gold,

somewhat like a peacock. The ocellated

turkey is not raised for food.

Two male common turkeys in the wild display

their feathers.

(Left) Many turkeys are raised for their meat; (right) ocellated turkeys live only in the wild.

114 Turkey BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA

 

Turkmenistan

Turkmenistan is a desert country in central

Asia. The capital is Ashgabat.

Turkmenistan is on the southeastern

coast of the Caspian Sea. It shares borders

with Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan,

Afghanistan, and Iran.

The sandy Karakum Desert covers most

of the land. Southern Turkmenistan has

some mountains and hills. Turkmenistan

has a very dry climate with hot summers

and cold winters.

Grasses and shrubs grow in the dry

areas. Fig and nut trees grow near the

mountains. Foxes, wildcats, cobras, lizards,

and gazelles live in the desert.

Leopards and porcupines live in the

hills.

Turkmenistan is named after its main

group of people, the Turkmen. The

country also has some Uzbeks, Russians,

and Kazakhs. Most of the Turkmen are

Muslims. The people live mainly in

southern oases (desert areas with a water

supply) and along the rivers in the east.

The economy of Turkmenistan depends

on agriculture and the production of

natural gas and oil. Farming is possible

with the help of irrigation, or artificial

watering systems. The main crops are

cotton and grain. People also raise sheep

and use their wool to make carpets. Factories

produce metals, machinery,

chemicals, and fabrics.

The Parthian Empire of Iran ruled the

region in ancient times. Turkmen

nomads, or wanderers, entered the area

by AD 1100. Russia conquered the

region by 1881. In 1925 Turkmenistan

became part of the Soviet Union. Turkmenistan

gained independence in 1991.

..More to explore

Ashgabat

A vendor sells dried fruits and nuts at a

market in Turkmenistan.

Facts About

TURKMENISTAN

Population

(2008 estimate)

5,180,000

Area

188,500 sq mi

(488,100 sq km)

Capital

Ashgabat

Form of

government

Republic

Major cities

Ashgabat, Turkmenabat,

Dashhowuz,

Mary,

Balkanabat

BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Turkmenistan 115

 

Turner, Nat

In the United States before the American

CivilWar, many slaves escaped to

freedom. Others rebelled with violence

against their owners. A slave named Nat

Turner led one of the bloodiest slave

revolts in U.S. history. Southern states

reacted to Turner’s revolt by passing laws

that made the lives of slaves even more

difficult.

Early Life

Nat Turner was born on October 2,

1800, on a farm in Virginia. He had

several owners. In 1831 he joined the

household of a man named Travis.

Unlike most slaves, Turner learned to

read and write. He also learned about

the Christian religion. He came to

believe that God had chosen him to free

all slaves.

Revolt

On August 21, 1831, Turner and seven

other slaves killed everyone in the Travis

family. In the next two days, Turner

picked up about 75 followers. They

killed about 60 white people.

Then about 3,000 whites rose up to stop

the revolt. Whites killed most of Turner’s

men. Whites captured Turner, put

him on trial, and put him to death on

November 11, 1831.

Turner’s revolt frightened Southern

whites. They blamed his rebellious spirit

on his education, so they tried to stop

slaves from learning to read and write.

They also tried to stop slaves from gathering

in groups.

#More to explore

Slavery

Turtle

A turtle is a reptile that has a shell covering

its body. Turtles are known for moving

very slowly. There are about 250

species, or types, of turtle.

Turtles are found in most parts of the

world. Most live in freshwater ponds,

lakes, or rivers. Others live in the ocean

or on land. Some turtles live in forests or

even in the desert. Land turtles are often

called tortoises. Some water turtles are

known as terrapins.

An account of Nat Turner’s slave

rebellion was published in 1832.

116 Turner, Nat BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA

 

Turtles are all different sizes. The smallest

turtles are less than 4 inches (10 centimeters)

long. In contrast, the Atlantic

leatherback turtle can be more than 7

feet (2 meters) long. It can weigh more

than 1,500 pounds (680 kilograms).

Turtles have sturdy legs with short feet

and claws on the toes. Sea turtles have

flippers instead of front feet. A turtle’s