John Brown Hero

Some could call Brown a pioneer in being a civil rights activist for social and economic justice in this time period. Other people saw Brown as a mad man out for his own cause to be a hero and a martyr for equal rights and freeing the slaves. According to David King that Brown was crazy with the statement –“on the subject of slavery he was crazy” (Davidson p. 129). King was quoted saying this after he meet Brown after the Kansas fight. King described Brown as “an instrument in the hands of God to free slaves” and that Brown thought of his self as the person pick to free people from slavery (Davidson p. 129). Historians researching for answers for the clues if Brown was really insane might use this to back up their claim that Brown was crazy.

As stated in his final speech, the Address of John Brown, the incidental effects of his main goal was completely unintentional and wasn’t his main focus. He believed that he should be rewarded for taking a heroic stand in helping the slaves rise up and become equal with the rest of society. He applied the word of God in his address by stating “All things whatsoever I would that men should do to me, I should do even so to them” (Brown, 1). With this statement, he justified that the crimes he committed were not in fact crimes to him at all, but work he believed need to have been done. His main point was to get people to see that slaves are still human and the injustice acts placed upon them should be returned. With all of his plans, he didn’t have much concern to the risks that may come out of its execution. Although he didn’t strictly believe that he had to kill people in order to complete his job, he had no regrets. If it got his point across, then he would take those matters. His address to the Virginia Court proved his will and determination in his work as well his honesty in what he’s done. As stated before, Brown inspired many people like him including Fredrick Douglass. Douglass saw that Brown was not trying to spark a full blown war, but instead wanted to get support from active slaves and anti-slavery supporters to overthrow slavery for good. Brown lighted

He fought long and hard for what “he believed with certitude was a sin against God.” (Bordewich, 3). Of the many words used to describe Brown, one that would come up occasionally was hero. But “it wasn't until the 1970’s that John Brown the hero re-emerged.” (Chowder, 6). Two studies done by Stephen B. Oates and Richard Owen Boyer came to a conclusion that “Brown was stubborn, monomaniacal, egotistical, self-righteous, and sometimes deceitful; yet he was, at certain times, a great man.”(Chowder,6). Also, “among African- Americans, Brown’s heroism has never been in doubt. (Chowder, 6) Many strong black figures commended Brown’s actions in various ways. “Frederick Douglass praised him in print; W. E. B. Du Bois published a four-hundred word celebration of him in 1909; Malcolm X said he wouldn't mind being with white people if they were like John Brown; Alice Walker, in a poem, even wondered if in an earlier incarnation she herself hadn’t once been John Brown.” (Chowder, 6). Harriet Tubman “thought Brown was the greatest white man who had ever lived.” (Bordewich, 5). He even “began comparing himself to Jesus Christ. And he was not alone.” (Chowder, 5). Though he was described as “crazy” for a large part of his life, the fact that he was remembered by so many in such a positive manner, makes him a hero.

Firstly, I think he failed because he was too quick to anger. Many people knew that John Brown had a temper. His anger issues may also be connected to when he killed five southern settlers and his removement from Kansas. Other abolitionist of his time like the Grimke Sisters and Harriet Tubman were peaceful and indirect with their ways. The key to success wasn’t straight out rebellion but rather being peaceful and quiet; and slow and steady. The Grimke Sisters spoke out strongly and gained a following. Harriet Tubman didn’t go killing people to free slaves, but was sneaky about it and freed slaves one by

From his life as a slave to his escape and support of the abolitionist movement to even his attack on segregation, Frederick Douglass was the true embodiment of the abolitionist movement. Of course, there were other important abolitionists as well such as John Quincy Adams and Arthur Tappan. Despite their importance, John Quincy Adams had only fought for the abolitionist movement late into his life, and Arthur Tappan had donated large amounts of money while also writing some Abolitionist articles. Yet neither of them were able to get the public’s support like Frederick Douglass had, making him the most important figure in the Abolitionist

After the Civil War granting African Americans their freedom, Frederick Douglass became a political activist against the institution of slavery. He combined his efforts with John Brown, an abolitionist, engaging in strong minded debates in figuring out whether the U.S Constitution was proslavery, antislavery, created for the well being of all men or only white men. Douglass gained the knowledge of political reform and how to go about movements, in his case, abolition movements, and later on assisting in women rights movements. He learned that being looked upon in politics, as an intelligent and well-respected individual without pursuing force would be the best way to gain his victory. His goal was to persuade the American public opinion against slavery, while praising democratic freedom and progression of American principles, reaching audiences of all sexes and races. He also pointed out

Now everyone agrees that John Brown main goal was to abolish the slavery in the south, but some believe that he is a hero for dying for his cause or being a martyr.

Henry Wise, governor of Virginia is faced with an impossible choice. Now that the courts have condemned John Brown to death for his charges of” “treason, murder and inciting a slave insurrection,” (Davidson 148) he is torn between condemning the violence, granting a pardon to prevent more violence, or thirdly, granting a pardon on the account of his insanity. Many citizens of Virginia feared that Mr Brown was a precursor to the imminent onslaught of northern abolitionist “fanatics” and threatened to lynch Brown if he was freed. Other northern abolitionists threatened to assemble an army to free Brown from the prison; in the words of Fernando Wood, mayor of New York City, his death would create a “martyr whose execution would only deepen passions

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.

One problem he created was his armory raids. What he planned to do with the weaponry he obtained from the raids was to free all slaves, which angered the South(page 497). Another problem he created, even after his death, was the fact that people in the North praised him as a hero after he endangered the lives of many innocent lives in the South. The South felt threatened by the fact that Northerners praised a ‘blood thirsty’ killer and forced them to secede (page 498)A woman by the name of Harriet Beecher read “ Uncle Tom's Cabin” to 1300 people. This influenced and educated a lot of people to stand up against slavery. John Brown was an example of those

In fact, Hammond states that, “some would call him a tragic hero, flawed only in his insistence on purity in thought and action coupled with a mystical detachment from the political realities oh his day.” (591) Hammond views Brown as a hero in which he fought for his beliefs and acted on the highest principles which were expressed by the founders of the American nation. Hammond rationalizes Brown’s inhumane actions of violence with moral and religious conviction. Therefore, in his analysis, Hammond insists that Brown’s commitment to higher political and moral goals conformed to the basic principles of human freedom and political and legal equality. However, Brown easily could have fought for his beliefs without invoking fear and terror. Even though Brown may have had good intentions regarding the abolishment of slavery, his good intentions did not lead to good actions. Therefore, Gilbert effectively proves in his analysis that Brown perfectly fits the definition of an irrational terrorist as his violent actions conform to a modern definition of

First, Brown made the right decision to escape because he became a free man. During this era England

The reason why I say he 's a hero not a terrorist is because if you define a terrorist and line it up with what John Brown believes in and what he wanted to accomplish then you would think he 's a hero also. See people got to remember the Harpers Ferry revolt wasn 't the only slave revolt John Brown was apart of, he was also apart of other attacks in different places. For example in his "Conversation: Patriot or Terrorist" it says " During what became known as the Pottawatomie Massacre and the Battle of Osawatomie, Brown assumed the role of abolitionist leader and led violent attacks against proponents of slavery." See that he wasn 't just apart of one revolt and one attack like Osama Bin Laden was "no" he was part of a couple attacks and battles. His mission was to free slaves and make the economy and country better by allowing everyone to be treated equal and have equal rights. Like what we have sort of

John Brown was one of the causes to the civil war. The south didn’t like John Brown because he was against slavery. He also helped the slaves by trying to lead a revolt by giving them weapons. He was later hanged and there were two different views on John Brown. Some say that John Brown was a hero but others say he was a criminal, but I think John Brown was a hero and here are my reasons.