John Brown: Abolitionist Or A Hero?

John Brown was very similar to Nat Turner they both believed that they were chosen by god to lead slaves into freedom and if that required a fight then that was what they had to do. John Brown had a goal and that was to abolish slavery throughout the united states. The trouble in Kansas began when the Nebraska Act was signed by President Pierce, this act engaged that people make a determination on whether Kansas territory should be free or slave. In hopes that Kansas would become free of slaves, the opposing side which was named Border Ruffians invaded their territory and forced the pro-slavery election. After John heard about the fear of Kansas becoming a slave state and after also hearing that the Border Ruffians ransacked the town of Lawrence

John Brown was a misguided fanatic. He was admired by many abolitionists for standing up for the rights. However, was seen outrageous in the eyes of many Southerners. He has went far beyond outrageous and carried out a killing spree in order to prove slavery was wrong. He had a plan, however stirred in a lot of problems along with it gained him the name a “misguided fanatic”.

John Brown’s beliefs about slavery and activities to destroy it hardly represented the mainstream of northern society in the years leading up to the Civil War. This rather unique man, however, took a leading role in propelling the nation toward secession and conflict. Many events influenced Brown’s views on slavery from an early age. When he was older, his strong anti-slavery feelings had grown, and he became an extreme abolitionist. His raid on Harpers Ferry was one of the first monumental events leading up to the civil war.

During the eighteenth century, the opposition to slavery prior to forming the United States became increasingly stronger between the Northern and Southern territories. Prior to the 1830s, antislavery societies began to emerge from every corner to challenge the slave system and to help combat slavery. During this time, people had different ideas about how to confront the issue of slavery in the system and how to establish a freedom of oppression. In the eighteenth century, antislavery political activists believed the slave system would able to be changed through peaceful political reforms, while others felt that real change could only be achieved by violence. A radical white abolitionist named John Brown became a historical figure whose beliefs motivated the violent abolitionist crusade.

Brown's attack on Harper's Ferry affected American culture more than can ever be understood. Tension between the North and South was building in the 1850's. Slavery among many other things was dividing the country into two sections. Brown was executed on December 2, 1859 for his murderous out-lash on society. Was his mind so twisted and demented that he would commit cold-blooded murder? The answer is no. John Brown was a man with a goal and a purpose. When he said that abolition could not be achieved without blood he was right. It is one of histories great ironies; John Brown's struggle preceded the Civil War by only 17 months. Thousands of people were killed in the Civil War, yet John Brown

The Trail of Tears and the Indian Removal Act was just a couple of examples of racist intentions brought about during not only Jacksons presidency but the actions of others that would follow. Slaves began to fight for their freedom and abolonistinists began to make a name for themselves. Frederick Douglass and John Brown two prominent abolonistists from ether end of the colored spectrum - Douglass, a black man and Brown a white man - lead the fight and are most infamous amongst many. Frederick Douglass escaped enslavement at a young and fleed to the North. There he learned to read and write and became a writer detailing his experiences and voicing his stance publicly against slavery. He eventually became an advisor of sorts to Lincoln and helped the President change his mind on the future of slavery. John Brown however apporached things in a different manner. He and his African American supporters took arms to rebel against slavery because he knew that such atrocity would never die on its own. He later found himself at the gallows being hung by the State of Virigna with the go-ahead from the Federal Government. Freedom for slaves was one of many, many social activist issues at the

John Brown’s beliefs about slavery and activities to destroy it hardly represented the mainstream of northern society in the years leading up to the Civil War. This rather unique man, however, has become central to an understanding and in some cases misunderstandings about the origins of the Civil War. The importance of Brown’s mission against slavery was colossal to accelerating the civil war between the North and the South. His raid on Harpers Ferry in1859 divided the United States like nothing else before, and could have been the main event leading to the Civil War.

John Brown was a frontiers man. He became somewhat of a celebrity in New England around 1857. He found his life 's calling which was fundraising for the frontier exploits, or battles he conducted. When peace had come across Kansas in late 1857, Brown had developed a plan to capture the federal arsenal at Harpers Ferry, Virginia. After collecting funds from his New England friends, Brown and his army moved to a farmhouse where they began to train. It was the night of October 16, 1859 when Brown and twenty-two men took over the arsenal. They waited for slaves to rally to his banner. Quickly the Virginia Militia and a detachment of the United States Marines put an end to John Browns Raid killing most of his men and wounding Brown himself. This raid scared southerners to death, because they feared a slave rebellion. Not only that, but this attack/rebellion was not planned within the South but planned by the North and acted on in the South. Even though no slaves were informed of the uprising it was still a scare for the South. Brown went to

John Brown is an American Abolitionist who believed in abolishing slavery across the nation through killing any southern slaveholder or supporter that comes in his path. It is believed that he had a plan to gather all the free slaves and rebel against the southern states, but his rebellion never made it that far. His rebellion started in Kansas in 1855 and ended in December 1858 at Harpers Ferry leading to him being convicted and hung for his crimes. John Brown had one motive that made him do these so called “crimes” by justifying his actions as obedience to a just god (31). This is the same reason today 's terrorist do their acts of terrorism and his actions make me see him as a terrorist.

“Terrorist”, is defined as “a person who uses unlawful violence and intimidation, especially against civilians, in the pursuit of political aims.” Terrorists who conduct these heinous crimes usually justify their actions due to morals, religious convictions, or political views. John brown was an American abolitionist who believed and advocated that armed insurrection was the only way to overthrow the institution of slavery in the United States, which was a political aim. He considered the United States incapable of reform and he believed violence was the only solution to end slavery. Therefore John Brown was an Irrational Terrorist.

Many southerners or non-abolitionists were disgusted with his actions. Lincoln, although he opposed slavery, compared the brown affair to the assassination of kings and emperors and goes on to state that “an enthusiast broods over the oppression of a people till he fancies himself commissioned by

John Brown was an abolitionist who was very passionate about ending slavery for once and for all. He felt that they should use everything and anything to put an end to slavery, including violence. After protesting slavery, he came with a plan that abolish slavery.

Is John Brown a hero or a terrorist? If both definitions seem to apply, how can one differentiate between the two? This comes down to a fundamental question; under what circumstances is violence justified? A terrorist would not fight for a cause that does not seem to affect him or herself, as John Brown did, selflessly. A terrorist should have motives that are beneficial to him or herself, which John Brown did not.

John Brown acted ruthlessly, yet those actions are what was needed to change slavery. John Brown could be called an extremist for some of the events that he was a part of, like the murders of five Bushwhackers. John Brown believed compromise was not working anymore,

Throughout the existence of slavery in America, white abolitionists have played a crucial role in the fight for the freedom of blacks. They all risked everything, and fueled by passion stepped outside of the societal norm to fight for those unable to fight. However, few white abolitionists caused as much controversy during their time as John Brown. Brown was an abolitionist who not only spoke out on his beliefs, but backed up them up with action. He was so contentious that he was able to be considered a hero and a terrorist at the same time. Although Brown’s actions were considered debatable, it can be agreed upon today that they were