John Brown was a dedicated advocate of abolishing slavery. No matter the consequences, he did not keep his opinions to himself and fought for what he believed in. While leading an attack on the federal arsenal in Harpers Ferry, Brown was injured and ten of his followers were killed. He was captured and later hanged for treason on December 2nd, 1859.…
Before receiving his sentence, John Brown addressed the court saying “Now, if it is deemed necessary that I should forfeit my life for the furtherance of the ends of justice, and mingle my blood further with the blood of my children, and with the blood of millions in this Slave country whose rights are disregarded by wicked, cruel, and unjust enactments, -- I say let it be done. ”(Civilwar.org primary source). By simply reading this statement, one may mistake Brown as a martyr to his faith and nothing more. However, this seemingly noble statement is quickly diminished to a statement which no man should be proud of once the reader becomes informed of the terrible crimes Brown had committed. Brown was a very religious man, he depended heavily on the Bible and believed he was sent by God to abolish slavery through any means necessary.…
John Brown descended from Puritan ancestry, although it is unknown exactly who his ancestors were. Brown himself believed that his first paternal ancestor came to America on the Mayflower and was named Peter Brown. There are several other theories stating that Brown’s ancestors settled in Connecticut or Massachusetts later on. Maternally, there is speculation about when his family migrated to America, but his mother, Ruth Mills, was also of Puritan descent. The Puritan principles that Brown’s family adopted were based upon those of Calvinism, and so he was devout, plain, and stern in his beliefs.…
John Brown (a major abolitionist), on the other hand, thought that violence was the only answer when it came to freeing slaves. So much so that he “led a band 18 men, black and white, into Harper’s Ferry, Virginia (now West Virginia). His aim was to seize the federal arsenal there, distribute the captured arm to slaves, and start a general slave uprising.” (Doc.…
Brown was an abolitionist who believed in the military overthrow of the U.S. Brown's followers killed five slavery supporters at Pottawatomie and later Brown led an unsuccessful raid on the federal armory at Harpers Ferry that ended with his capture. Brown's raid helped make any further accommodation between North and South nearly…
The actions taken upon by John Brown led others to view him in different ways. His work led him to execution on December 2, 1859. The question is; did he die a hero, criminal, or insane? John Brown’s parents instilled him with a huge belief in the Bible. He grew up with a belief against slavery.…
1861 was a rough time for the U.S., the Civil War had begun and manpower was needed. Although blacks could serve in previous wars such as the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812, they weren’t allowed to join the Civil War. People such as Frederick Douglass believe that since blacks have served in previous wars, they should be able to join the Civil War because they have proven their citizenship. I agree with Frederick Douglass’ claim. Citizenship should be given to anyone who proves to be patriotic to the U.S. Having previously served for the United States should prove that you earned your citizenship.…
Midnight Rising: John Brown and the raid that sparked the Civil War is written by Tony Horwitz: a bestselling author and journalist who has taken the time to tell an essential American story. The book covers the events surrounding the raid on Harpers Ferry and the complex character of John Brown. Horwitz thesis explains that the raid on Harpers Ferry is the spark that lit the fire of secession and Civil War. John Brown grew as a descendent of Puritans and soldiers from the Revolutionary War, and his upbringing created his “burning hatred of racial oppression” (Horwitz, p.16) and “determination to help slaves” (Horwitz, p.19). He believed that the dissipation of slavery would fulfill America’s founding principles, so he began to lead raids…
One prominent abolitionist was john brown he stated “Here, before God, in the presence of these witnesses, from this time, I consecrate my life to the destruction of slavery!” the fight for slavery can be seen throughout history, it was strong and continued to grow the fight proved to be inevitable. A pivotal turning point in the fight against slavery was the election of Abraham Lincoln in the 1860’s he was a republican, who supported the freedom of slaves. This election was truly the tipping point that led to the civil war and left many southerners struck with fear. Lincoln issued 75,000 troops establishing the federal blockade of southern rebel ports, and suspended the writ of habeas corpus , the civil war had officially begun in April of 1861 (Jaffa,1).…
Brown's rebellion was doomed to fail. The abolitionists were captured and Brown was hung on charges of murder, inciting insurrection, and treason (Stoddard and Murphy, 15). John Brown and his men clearly showed how socially divided the nation was on slavery, with both sides willing to kill to further their…
The institution of slavery in America harbored much violence in order to maintain its existence in the South through physical, psychological, and sexual abuse. Slavery was a profusely profitable business for the Southern plantation owners who profited from slave labor and did everything in their hands to maintain it. Violence in its variety was a form of a conservation force for slavery, which was initiated by the slave owners against the African American slaves. The slaves found various ways to cope with this violence in order to maintain their livelihood and humanity. They balanced their lives by avoiding punishment, finding comfort in Christianity, and maintaining their humanity through education, all while working hard for…
John Brown DBQ John Brown’s actions at Harper’s Ferry in October 1859 created a lasting strain that developed between the northern and southern regions of the United States from the years 1859 to 1863. The North’s political and ideological view quickly aligned with Brown’s abolitionist ideology and efforts, establishing a culture that condemned Brown’s actions but illuminated his cause. The progressive is North took into account John Brown’s cause as a cause of benevolence that advocated the innate rights of man. Such thought brought more abolitionist ideology to establish itself in the north causing further tension between the North and the South’s views on slavery. The South, on the other hand, supported slavery and justified it through the…
Free African Americans felt they had the right to vote and "no taxation without representation". They felt that since they fought along with the colonists in the Revolutionary War for the same ideals then they should have the rights to it instead of it being imposed on them now. (Doc B) Even though some African Americans were freed, they were not spared from discrimination and abuse. Free African Americans in Boston had to bear with daily insults and physical abuse on the streets. Images of African American’s deformity were also common placed in areas of cities and towns.…
John Brown’s intention was good; however, he executed his plan in a horrible way. Due to that, individuals may believe that he is insane and a murderer. He went through months of preparing and one impatient move made him go to trial. John Brown believes that what he did is not wrong; he is fighting for something that he feels strongly against. He believes that “the only way to defeat the slaveholders who controlled the U.S. government… was to form guerilla bands and fight” (Earle, p. 44).…
Fortunately, just as abolitionists rose up to speak against the evils of slavery during the era of the trans-Atlantic slave trade, modern-day abolitionists have also decided to expose and fight against the evils proliferating the world. Political interventions have been made in an attempt to abolish modern-day slavery. Former U.S. Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, responsed to modern-day slavery by stating, “Defeating human trafficking is a great moral calling of our time” (Batstone 1). Congress has passed several pieces of legislation as well as sanctions against other nations to lessen the occurrences of human trafficking.…