Narrative

Here is information, based on a social studies textbook, about the man with the white beard and the events leading up to what the picture shows.


John Brown

John Brown, a white man from Kansas, was a passionate and militant abolitionist. He was wanted by the police in Kansas because he had already committed murder in the name of abolition. He was determined to end slavery. He decided that the way to do this would be to go to the South, give the slaves weapons, and let them fight for their own freedom.

Not all abolitionists thought this was such a good idea. A famous black abolitionist, Frederick Douglass, listened and discussed the idea with Brown, but would not join him. Brown also tried to get some slaves who had run away to Canada to join the revolt, but they, too, refused.
Frederick Douglass

Still, John Brown decided to go ahead with his plan. In October 1859, two years before the Civil War began, he gathered eighteen people (13 white and 5 black). They stole weapons from the arsenal at Harpers Ferry, Virginia. Then they went to the estates of several nearby farmers and freed about 30 slaves by forcing them to come with him and his group. Ten people were killed in this raid. The rest went back and took cover in the arsenal.

The United States Marines surrounded the arsenal. Five of the group escaped. But the rest were trapped. The Marines battered down the doors and arrested Brown and the rest of his followers. The survivors were all hanged by the state of Virginia.

John Brown, who had been slightly wounded, was tried for treason (disloyalty) to the state of Virginia. He was sentenced to be hanged. After his sentence, he said "Now if it is deemed necessary that I should forfeit my life for the furtherance of the ends of justice and mingle by blood . . . with the blood of millions in the slave country whose rights are disregarded by wicked, cruel, and unjust enactments, I say let it be done."

After his death, there was a lot of discussion and angry arguments about whether he was a heroic martyr (someone who gives up their life for something they believe in), or a violent fanatic. On hearing of his execution, Abraham Lincoln said, "Old Brown has just been executed. We cannot object even though he agreed with us in thinking slavery wrong. That cannot excuse violence, bloodshed, and treason."

The painting you looked at and answered questions about is called "The Last Moments of John Brown". The artist is Thomas Hovenden. The painting shows him coming out of the jail on his way to the gallows where he was hanged.

Back to top of page

Copyright Digital History 2021