Many people viewed John Brown’s role in the Pottawatomie Massacre as controversial. However, many months after this event, Salmon P. Chase, the governor of Ohio, wrote a letter describing how he was supporting John Brown because of his acts to abolish slavery. Governor Chase said, “Captain John Brown, of Kansas territory, is commended to be a highly respectable citizen of this state as a gentleman in every way worthy of entire confidence.” (Document B) John Brown was an abolitionist born on May 9, 1800, and died on December 2, 1856. Many think that he was a villain for using violence as an act to fight for the cause of making Kansas a free state, but others feel that it was necessary for the event. Many civilians believe that John Brown was a villain throughout the 1800s for his …show more content…
John Brown is a hero because he took decisive actions in the Pottawatomie Massacre. This was an attack on the pro-slavery settlement at Pottawatomie Creek. One of the reasons that John Brown did this was to scare pro-slavery supporters to make sure that Kansas would become a free state. After the Sacking of Lawrence, John Brown wanted to seek revenge, so he gathered a party of seven men, traveled to Pottawatomie Creek, and murdered 5 pro-slavery people to discourage others from making Kansas a slave state. It is often thought that John Brown is a villain because he was the leader who started the Pottawatomie Massacre that killed 5 people in 1856. Some people may accuse John Brown of being a villain and a terrorist. What this argument seems to overlook is that he was heroic in being an outspoken, confident abolitionist who wanted to abolish slavery in Kansas to establish it as a free state. Even though many think that his acts of violence were controversial, others think that violence was necessary while fighting for the cause of making Kansas a free