John+Brown's+Raid

Introduction
John Brown was an American abolitionist who during the 1850's led an armed raid on Harper's Ferry, West Virginia with twenty-one men in which he planned to give weapons to fugitive slaves to win their freedom. The plan was discovered, however, and within thirty-six hours of the attack, most of Brown's men were captured or killed. John Brown was convicted and hung on December 2nd, 1859 in Charlestown, Virginia (now West Virginia).

toc Early Life
John Brown was born in 1800 into a deeply religious family in Torrington, Connecticut. His father had strong opposing views against slavery which gave Brown an early hatred of slavery. When Brown was five years old his family moved out to North Ohio, a town known for its anti-slavery views. In 1834 Brown moves to Pennsylvania to begin a project with fellow abolitionists to educate young blacks. Soon later Brown was married and had twenty children. He worked as a farmer, wool merchant, tanner, and a land speculator; he was never financially successful. When Brown was forty years old he filed bankruptcy, but still managing to keep his strong views in tact.

Anti-Slavery Activities
Brown started off with helping finance the publication of David Walker's Appeal and Henry Highland's "Call to Rebellion speech". He then met up with Frederick Douglass in 1847 in Springfield, MA. The two spoke for a while about their views and Brown about his plans and Douglass came out of the meeting saying this, "Though a white gentleman, [Brown] is in sympathy a black man, and as deeply interested in our cause, as though his own soul had been pierced with the iron of slavery." It was at that meeting with Douglass that Brown first formulated his plan to lead his own war to the freedom of slavery. His next move consisted of giving land to fugitive slaves. Later he and his wife agreed to raise a black youth as one of their own. Brown continued with his beliefs by participating in the Underground Railroad, where he was of massive assistance. In 1851 he helped establish the League of Gileadites, an organization that worked to protect escaped slaves from slave catchers.

Reaching National Prominence
In 1855 Brown followed five of his sons out to Kansas where abolitionists and pro-slavery people flooded Kansas in order to determine whether it was a slave state or free state. In Kansas, he and his sons avenged the murder of a number of abolitionists by killing five pro-slavery people on May 24, 1856. Also he and his sons defended themselves against an attack by pro-slavery Missouri residents in August of 1856. These two incidents made him nationally famous as a "foe of slavery".

Planning the Raid


John Brown's raid on Harper's Ferry took place on October 16, 1859. His men consisted of five black men, and sixteen white men, including several of his sons. His first move was taking control of an arsenal and an armory at Harper's Ferry, Virginia, soon before he took control of the town. After seizing the arsenal, Brown and his men didn't attack but took defensive positions within the area. At first a local militia surrounded Brown's men but by the next day, the small militia was reinforced by the company of the U.S. Marines led by Colonel Robert E. Lee. Ten men, including two of his sons, were killed. Brown was wounded and captured. After his arrest, Brown was charged with treason and murder. Before hearing his sentence, Brown made a significant address justifying anti-slavery. Brown was then found guilty and hanged on December 2, 1859.

The Raid
The raid on Harper's Ferry, Virginia took place on October 16, 1859. The group of attackers consisted of John Brown himself, five black men, and sixteen white men, including several of his sons. Brown started by taking control of an arsenal and armory in Harper's Ferry, soon taking over the rest of the town. After seizing the arsenal, Brown and his men didn't attack, but took defensive positions within the area. At first, a local militia surrounded the men but by the next day the small militia was reinforced by the company of the U.S. Marines led by Colonel Robert E. Lee. Ten men, including two of his sons were killed. Brown on the other hand was wounded and captured. After his arrest, Brown was charged with treason and murder. Before hearing his sentence, Brown made this address: // ". . . I believe to have interfered as I have done, . . . in behalf of His despised poor, was not wrong, but right. Now, if it be 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 // // submit: so let it be done." //

John Brown was found guilty and hanged on December 2, 1859.

North and South Reactions
The North and South had completely different reactions to the raid. The North named Brown a martyr for human freedom and praised him for his efforts towards the end of slavery. The South became afraid of rebellions led by abolitionists. This fear led them to begin large establishments of militia.

John Brown's Raid- In American Memory
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** Bibliography **
Websites 1. PBS. PBS. Web. 28 May 2012. < http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part4/4p1550.html>. 2. “Brown, John,” Microsoft Encarta Online Encyclopedia 2000. 1997-2000 Microsoft Corporation. < [|http://encarta.msn.com] .>

Pictures 1. John Brown. Digital image. Wikiimages. June-July 2002. Web. 29 May 2012. . 2. Civil War Poster. Digital image. Virginia.gov. Web. . 3. Arsenal. Digital image. Wvculture. Web. 29 May 2012. . 4. Bleeding Kansas. Digital image. Legends of America. Web. 29 May 2012. . 5. John Brown's Family. Digital image. Comcast.net. Web. 29 May 2012. .