1. Who was John Brown? What role did he play in the Civil War?

2. Saint or Sinner?

3. What was his goal & plan? Lead a slave revolt that would end slavery
Break into the Federal Armory in Harpers Ferry, Virginia to get the weapons necessary for his holy war

4. Why Harpers Ferry? Nine thousand rifles
More than enough bullets and ammunition
One of only two places where the US govt. manufactured rifles
Located in a slave state – Virginia (now West Virginia).

5. One of 1,000 Pikes made for John Brown and brought to Harpers Ferry
Why would he bring pikes when there over 9,000 rifles and plenty of ammunition at the Armory?

9. Harpers Ferry 1862

10. Harpers Ferry 1865 – Federal Arsenal

11. What happened? Attacked middle of the night
Quickly overpowered the one guard
Surprised by a train – shot and killed the man who got off (ironically a free black man)
Held train for a couple of hours and then let it continue on (sounded warning)
Church bells sounded alarm – militia and armed farmers kept Brown penned down until US Army showed up (led by Robert E. Lee).
Quick battle – Brown captured, most of his men were killed.
Tried & hung

12. U.S. Troops in action

13. Wagon that carried John Brown to the gallows.

14. So what?

17. “I John Brown am now quite certain that the crimes of this guilty land will never be purged away, but by blood” Note he gave his jailer on his way to be hung.

18. What is the artist trying to portray in this picture of John Brown?

19. What did his raid and the “actions” of the government and north say to Virginia and the other slave states?

20. Would John Brown have considered his raid a “success”
Would John Brown have considered his raid a “success”? What did his raid say the people living in the North? What did his raid “prove”?

21. Was he a “Saint” or a “Sinner”? Does the “end” justify the means?