John Brown, an Abolitionist

All that is necessary for the triumph of savage is that comfortably men do nothing. Edmund Burke Throughout the existence of thraldom in America, uninfected abolitionists bring in played a crucial social function in the fight for the ceasedom of cruddys. They all risked everything, and fue take by warmheartedness stepped outside of the societal norm to fight for those un suitable to fight. nonetheless, few white abolitionists caused as a ethical deal contr everyplacesy during their term as fast one cook. br possessness was an abolitionist who not only verbalise out on his beliefs, provided 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 browns actions were considered debatable, it can be agreed upon straight off that they were necessary. John brownness was born in 1800 into a deeply religious family with a aim who was vigorously opposed to thraldom. He went through many job s including being a farmer, wool merchant, tanner, and trim back speculator, b arely was never financially successful. He in like manner traveled about the uncouth living in places much(prenominal) as Ohio, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and New York all while managing to father a total of twenty children.However, his lack of money and his family life didnt stop him for fighting for what he believed in the abolition of slavery. Though chocolate-brown was most famously cognise for his raid on Harpers Ferry, his involvement in anti-slavery had begun long before. And although he was cognize for being violent, not all of his efforts and actions resulted in bloodshed. He began his fight for slavery quite peacefully by giving some of his own land to fugitive slaves. He then adopted and fosterd a black baby with his wife as his own child. cook had also participated in the electron tube Railroad, helping the hiding and movement of black slaves throughout the country. In 1847 cook had met the famous black abolitionist Frederick Douglas who described brown as though a white gentleman, chocolate-brown is in sympathy a black man, and as deeply interested in our case as though his own soul had been pierced with the iron of slavery (Africans in America). By 1849 chocolate-brown had moved into the black community of North Elba, New York, where the blacks referred to him as a kind father to them (Africans in America).Looking at cooks legal proceeding at this point, its hard to imagine how someone who fought for something so good could be considered by many to be so bad. However, as time went on and the fight for granting immunity in America grew more widesp indicate, Browns controversial methods and violence began to develop. Browns move in 1855 to the Kansas territory with his cardinal sons was when he started to gain his major significance as a figure in the antislavery fight. During this time there was a massive debate going on if Kansas was going to be a free of slave state due(p) to its new entrance as a territory.Brown saw this as a massive opportunity, and arrived heavily armed, exploding with passion, and ready to fight. Brown was involved in numerous scuffles and hostilities, but one act led by him plunged Bleeding Kansas into more violence. Incensed by the sacking of Lawrence in May 1856 by pro-slavery supporters and the failure of the free-state men to retaliate, Brown led a midnight raid on a group of slavery sympathizers at Pottawatomie Creek. The raiders killed five men, which sparked the Battle of Black Jack and the border war that raged across atomic number 10 Kansas in the summer of 1856.He had also led an attack the same classe on a proslavery town and brutally killed five of its settlers. Now Brown was commonly k like a shotn as an outlaw, due to his increasingly violent methods of protest. However, his bordering and final act, the raid of Harpers Ferry, would be the most notorious moment in Browns life. Brown h ad spent the summer of 1858 looking to raise money to fund his war against slavery. He wanted to create an regular host that he would lead on a grand battle (Reynolds). This army consisted of he and 21 other men, 5 blacks and 16 whites, and the battle was a raid on the federal arsenal at Harpers Ferry.On October 16, 1856 Brown and his men, heavily armed with rifles, attacked Harpers Ferry in West Virginia (at that time it was just Virginia). His externalise was to seize the 100,000 muskets and rifles that were located in the armory and use them to arm the local anaesthetic slaves. From there, they would head south, gathering more and more slaves from plantations, and fighting in a manner of self defense (Reynolds). He had even asked Harriet Tubman to join him in the raid however she was ill and unable to join him.Her participation would carry been interesting, and perhaps tragic, as she was the escaped slave that arrangeed the Underground Rail elan. Johns plan was that the slav es would revolt and battle against their masters. However, this plan would not succeed. The Raid at Harpers Ferry would be a beginning to the Civil state of war and an suppress for John Brown. The raid initially went well, they were able to capture the armory due it being guarded by a single watchmen. They then locomote up hostages from some local farms, one being the great grad nephew of George Washington, and spread the news to the local slaves.Unfortunately, Brown and his men soon found themselves surrounded by the U. S Marines led by Colonel Robert E. Lee and were commanded to surrender. Brown initially refused, stating No, I prefer to die here (New World Encyclopedia). shortly the power of the Marines was too much, Brown had become wounded, and he and the survivors of the raid became detained. Brown was taken to Charleston, Virginia where he was given a trial. Before hearing his sentence Brown was permitted to make an address to the court, where he tried to tell the heap to look at slavery in a different way.He spoke of the painful treatment of slaves, how they were essentially unpaid laborers, how families were torn apart and sold, the terrible housing conditions, and how they were beaten and raped. He told the nation I believe to guide 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 millions in the slave country whose rights are disregarded by wicked, cruel, and unjust enactments, I submit so let it be done (Trial of John Brown).John Brown was found blameful and convicted of cheating and on December 2, 1859 he was hanged. On his way to be hung at the gallows, Brown had slipped a note to a fellow prisoner that read I, John Brown am now quite certain that the crimes of this guilty land will never be purged away but with Blood. I had as I know think vainly flat tered myself that without very much bloodshed it might be done (Brogan pg. 309). Not only was this a last word for Brown, but it eerily seemed to also be a prophetic forewarning of the soon-to-come Civil War.After his trial and finale, the news had circulated all over of Browns life and death. The controversy ignited immediately, as if the country was covered in gasoline and Browns death was the fight down dropped upon it. He had even been coined the name the spark that caused the Civil War (Frye). correspond to some, he was an abolitionist martyr, and had inspired many to keep fighting for freedom. provided to others, he was a madman, murderer, and terrorist whose death brought about relief. Browns death had hurled the country into conundrum (Frye). So was he the liberator of Kansas or simply a crazed maniac?What make it such a tough offspring was that even for those who back up antislavery, what he was fighting for seemed right but the way he went about it was questionable. The day after he was executed, Abraham Lincoln had say old John Brown has been executed for treason against the state, we cannot object, even though he agreed with us in thinking slavery was wrong. That cannot remedy violence, bloodshed, and treason. It could avail him nothing that he might think right now (Striner pg. 101). However he did have many influential people that considered him to be a hero.Upon the news of his death, William Lloyd Garrison had said was John Brown confirm in his attempt? Yes, if Washington was in his. Louisa May Alcott had called Brown St. John the Just and worshiped him (Frye). When Harriet Tubman heard the news of his death, she mourned the death of her friends in the raid, and continued to throw off John Brown as her hero (Lewis). Henry David Thoreau had stated No man in America has ever stood up so persistently and effectively for the dignity of human natureIs it not possible that an singular may be right and a government wrong atomic number 18 l aws to be enforced simply because they were made (Frye).The controversy that Brown had caused didnt just exist during his time. Only fifty years ago, in 1959 (the center of the civil rights movement) the Civil War Centennial Commission, established by coitus in September 1957 wanted to hold a celebratory medical record of the Harpers Ferry Raid at the personatee in West Virginia. However research found that The people of the South would be unanimous in opposition to any celebration of the John Brown raid, and most standpat(prenominal) people in the North would be strongly opposed to it (Frye).It saturnine out that7/8ths of people at that time in the U. S were disadvantageously concerned about the celebration. The one-eighth who werent? The African-American population. What made him so controversial is that when you have right and wrong clearly laid out, things arent that difficult to see. However, Brown didnt just have people that were on his side, or not on his side. His viol ent way of fighting for the freedom of slaves caused people that generally were on his side, to find him too much of a hot topic to support, in a sense causing a division within the divisions.However, what wasnt so clear then that is today is that those violent antics that got him into such trouble may in fact have been necessary as a desperate and final action that would in fact cause a physical reaction. John Brown knew that he had to pay the ultimate price in order to pursue his beliefs. That is what made him the abolitionist whose words and deeds provided the backbone and impetus for the Civil War and an end to slavery. His actions may have been extreme, but as seen repeated throughout history, the most influential figures and true fighters are the ones that didnt just sit around and do nothing.Who John Brown was, what he stood for, and what made him such an important figure in American history can be seen in a quote by Edmund Burke, one of the few Englishmen who supported the A merican Revolution All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.