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
