Jason Peterman
History 128
12-7-10
Chris Carey
John Brown: An Extreme Abolitionist
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. When John Brown was young, he witnessed an attack on a young slave boy, who was beaten with a shovel. The boy died, and Brown
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27). After he was captured, Brown was jailed. In most of his letters from jail, John Brown is attempting to comfort his family and friends and assure them that he has no regrets. He constantly mentions how happy he is, saying he fought for what he believed in. In a letter to E.B. of R.I., he says, “I do not feel conscious of guilt in taking up arms” (John Brown’s Raid on Harpers Ferry, pg. 91). Then, in a letter to Rev. H L Vaill, he says, “I am not as yet in the main at all disappointed. I have been a good deal disappointed as it regards myself in not keeping up to my own plans; but I now feel entirely reconciled to that even: for Gods plan, was Infinitely better” (John Brown’s Raid on Harpers Ferry, pg. 94). It is clear that Brown feels justified in his actions because he believes they were for the good of the country and enslaved people. Brown does not want his family and friends to feel bad for him, which is clear in the tone of his letters. His letters are upbeat, and he mentions how happy he is often. He is protective of his family’s feelings. In letters to others, he mentions his impending hanging, but when he writes to his wife, he calls death “my great change” (John Brown’s Raid on Harpers Ferry, pg. 98), as though death is honorable. Brown works hard in his letters to be sure that his family, especially his wife, cannot visit him. This may be
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
He never finds any proof of evilness in his wife or the respected people around him, but he still chooses to be doubtful. The subtle message that the story gives is that “doubt” is the culprit and men are at fault for succumbing to it. Doubting does not make Brown’s life any better. He never trusted anybody and he were not even deceived by anybody. So the story shows that by having faith, he could have changed his life. He could have lived much more happily.
During the elections of 1859, to protect the Republican party from Democratic attacks, they were forced to refer to Brown as insane. By these concepts, these affidavits are nearly useless in the question of Brown’s sanity. Brown repeatedly “demonstrated he knew the consequences of his actions; that he would be arrested and punished if caught and that large portions of American society would condemn him” (Davidson 157). Then, from the court’s standpoint, Brown was fit to stand trial and was “sane and clear headed,” even if he may seem overzealous at
Brown had a great faith in God. Success had eluded him up to this point. He had sired 20 children and had gone through two wives, but he still felt unfulfilled. In 1846, Brown was working as a wool merchant but nothing ever came of it. Before 1855, Brown had gone through a series of lawsuits and bankruptcies that halted his success. Gerrit Smith, a philanthropist friend of Brown's, was persuaded into giving a portion of the 120,000 acres of land he owned in upstate New York to Brown. This land would be open to refugee negroes. Brown lived on this land as a farmer for some time before realizing that people were just taking advantage of him.
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.
Later on, abolitionists began to coin the phrase “immediate emancipation” for the slaves. People, such as William Lloyd Garrison of Massachusetts, knew that this was unrealistic, and thought the direct renouncement of the action of owning slaves was more realistic (p. 80). The most straightforward acts of abolitionism were made by African Americans themselves. Former slaves such as Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglass, and Sojourner Truth were some of the greatest abolitionists because they knew how harsh the institution
John Brown’s raids were major reasons that The Civil War happened. He raided five farmers in Kansas and also raided a big arsenal in Harper’s Ferry which he and about 20 other abolitionists held
John Brown is a guy who wants to stop slavery and save them. Some people warned him to stay out of it, but he was not going to give up. He was a conductor, he said that slavery should end. David s. Reynolds said to John brown is the one who should kill slavery. A raid led him to civil rights. He could whatever he wants to do to free the slaves. Some slaves were friends with John brown when they were slaves and before they became slaves. But they were very nice when they were slaves.
The abolitionist movement was comprised of several smaller factions within it: garrisonian, religious, political, and radical abolitionists. However, many abolitionists did fall into multiple categories. Garrisonians, named after a one William Lloyd Garrison, abandoned the religious and churches, considering them “hopelessly corrupted by slavery” . They often refused to vote, seeing it as a way to express their displeasure about what they considered to be a pro-slavery constitution. This group is distinct from many of the others because of their advocacy of a want for the Union’s demise. That is, a withdrawal of the states in which slavery was no longer permitted. Examples of this were, of course, William Lloyd Garrison, as well as the following:
In 1837, anti-slavery minister, newspaper editor and journalist Elijah P. Lovejoy was shot dead by a pro-slavery mob attempting to burn his printing press. After the incident, Brown publicly vowed, “Here, before God, in the presence of these witnesses, from this time, I consecrate my life to the destruction of slavery!”
The book “Midnight Rises” depicts the raid of the Harper raid. John Brown was the person who planned the raid, but he was not good at planning. The book depicts the end of his life as an abolitionist. The reason why he became an abolitionist was from early life experience. These experience of having a religion father had helped him see that slavery is wrong from a moral standpoint. Then seeing young slaves who did not have fathers or mothers. John lost his mother, which caused him to relate to the slaves. Last, being like his father helped him become the man we know now. He wanted his father approval and did the things that his father would do, but wasn’t a pacifist like his father. He was an aggressor who would shoot first.
The abolitionist movement at first wanted better treatment of slaves. When the abolitionist movement began they wanted slaves to learn how to read. Some members started secretly teaching the slaves how to read using the Bible. Then more people wanted freedom of slaves. Harriet Tubman and several others started the Underground Railroad. Technically it was highly illegal to help slaves escape, since it was considered stealing of property. They helped anyway even though they could get caught and hung. Members started advocating more and more for slaves to be freed. In the north they got rid of slavery all together. Now, at this point the tension between the North and the South is very high.
Brown was very religious his whole life. Brown thought that there was only right and wrong no compromise. Brown also memorized every verse in the bible. Also brown loved all kinds of animals. Although brown probably had a lot of bottled
When Brown tells Satan that he wants to return back to his faith because of his guilty conscience, Satan tells him "You will think better of this by-and-by…Let us walk on, nevertheless, reasoning as we go, and if I convince thee not, thou shalt turn back. We are but a little way in the forest, yet" (Hawthorne 263). Then, Brown begins to think that he can leave Faith just for a little while and “after this one night, I'll cling to her skirts and follow her to Heaven” (Hawthorne 262). “With this excellent resolve for the future, Goodman Brown felt himself justified in making more haste on his present evil purpose" (Hawthorne 262). In the essay “Young Goodman Brown’: Hawthorne’s Condemnation of Conformity”, Terence J. Matheson describes Brown’s condition perfectly by writing that “Brown thinks he can consciously perform secret acts of evil and return, unscathed, to the fold of true virtue; that… while simultaneously doing evil things, he can still be virtuous and get to Heaven” (293). Thus, Brown struggles with his faith in the Lord because he believes Satan’s lie that he can leave faith and return to it at any time he pleases. Ultimately, Brown loses his faith in God because he decides to believe Satan’s lie that sin is part of his nature, that he will find happiness on the path of sin, and that he can leave his faith and return to it at any
His distaste for the Darwin theories brings into play a whole new trial on how religion should not dictate how one thinks. Reverend Brown constantly attacks anything even remotely detached from his holy book, and it is shown that he believes all Darwin theorists are the evil that plagues human society. During the trial, The Bible is questioned often, making a statement on how Brown's thinking could be unfair and close minded. The fight not flight attitude portrayed in Brown´s character is an important part in figuring out why the townspeople are so afraid to think about what they believe in. Brown himself tries too hard to show his love of his Lord, and those surrounding him are afraid of thinking another way. The malice and ill intent in Brown´s character is thoroughly challenged, with others asking if he is going overboard. All of this is important because Brown is portrayed as a leader. Brown is supposed to be providing an example for his community, the normal folk, and all he is doing is spreading distrust in those who have different