Similarities Between Harriet Tubman And John Brown

John Brown

“If it is 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.” Imagine this man as a person who decided to make a change in the world and fight for what is right. John Brown was one of the major abolitionists and had the audacity to achieve his many accomplishments. This paper will cover his early life, life as an abolitionist, later life with events that lead to his death, his last speech, including how it impacted many others, and how Harriet Tubman and John Brown were alike/not alike.

John Brown was born on May 9, 1800 to a deeply religious family in Torrington, Connecticut (“John Brown” 2). His parents were Ruth Mills and Owen Brown (“John Brown Biography 2). The family moved to Ohio when John was five. Owen had a deep belief in the bible and that slavery was wrong. He then instilled it in his son that would later inspire him to be an abolitionist in his life. Another motive was when twelve year old John witnessed an enslaved African american boy beaten(“John Brown Biography” 2). This left a mental scar that would impact him for a long time. When the Browns traveled through Michigan, John studied to work for the ministry and learned about trade until he finally decided to work for his father’s trade business(“John Brown” 2). During his adulthood, Brown married Dianthe Lusk in 1820 and decided to have seven children before her death in 1831. Brown then married sixteen year old Mary Ann Day in the next year and she would give birth to thirteen more children. “He would father twenty children.” ( PBS, John Brown 3). John would later face many financial difficulties, hardships of being a conductor, and also many risks taken as an abolitionist including having his own life taken from him.

In 1855, John and his boys traveled to Kansas after the extension of slavery to the states(“John Brown” 3). He then participated in the Underground railroad as a conductor. John had played with the idea but never gone through with starting an anti-slavery group. It was not long after that he made himself captain of the force(“John Brown” 4). What had motivated him to do such was the proslavery guerillas(“John Brown” 3). Near Pottawatomie creek, John, four of his sons, and two men murdered five proslavery settlers. After this attack, Brown was a hero of the north and a villain of the south as he grew his reputation(“John Brown” 5). In 1858, there was a gathering in Chatham, Ontario which then led to an army of insurrectionists including three of his sons, to form a rebellion of slaves. This rebellion had an interference in North Virginia and also made a stronghold so escapees could leave. Many abolitionists recoiled from Brown’s violence towards anti-slavery. Although some gave donations while still disliking his plans, there were a group called the “secret six”(“John Brown” 4). Their names were Franklin Sanborn, Thomas Wentworth Higginson, George Luther Stearns, Gerrit Smith, Samuel Gridley Howe, and Theodore Parker. This group was Brown’s main financial supporters(“John Brown” 4). In 1859 Brown rented a farm near Harper’s Ferry. On October 16, the group of twenty-one men raided Harper’s Ferry. Colonel Robert E. Lee”s militia quickly cornered the group and by the end of the raid, brown found himself captured with 10 of his followers dead.

Not long after John was captured, he was moved to Charlestown, Virginia where he was tried and convicted for treason(“John Brown” 7). On November 2nd, John was found guilty and was sentenced to death(“John Brown” 11). He stated that his actions were approved by God(“John Brown Biography” 7). Some of his efforts were to stop the civil war from happening(“John Brown” 5). John was brave and felt accomplished for what he had achieved in effort to end slavery. John was hung on December 2, 1859(“John Brown” 11). Brown died at the age of the 59 and as an abolitionist. During the aftermath of the death of John Brown, fellow abolitionists were inspired by his last speech addressing the world before he took his final breath.
John Brown addressed the world with a speech that motivated, inspired, and impacted others in so many ways. The speech was held in Charlestown, Virginia in front of the court and other citizens. Brown claimed he never intended to harm or cause any unnecessary treason(“John Brown” 11). During his speech, there was a significant person in the crowd(“John Brown” 10”). John Wilkes Booth was there that day of the speech and would later be the murderer of president Abraham Lincoln(“John Brown” 11). The death of John Brown had little effect on the country but the South now feared of another slavery insurrection(“John Brown” 5). When the newspapers were published of the Harper’s Ferry raid, most considered it as an accident. However, as the true details surfaced, the South was not pleased with what had happened. This pushed South abolitionists to move forward with even more conviction. In the North’s eyes he was the martyr and in the South, the murderer who deserved what he got. His last speech stated, “In the first place, I deny everything but what I have already admitted, of a design on my part to free Slaves. I intended, certainly, to have made a clean thing of that matter, as I did last winter, when I went into Missouri, and there took Slaves, without the snapping of a gun on either side, moving them through the country, and finally leaving them in Canada. I desired to have done the same thing again, on a much larger scale. That was all I intended. I never did intend murder, or treason, or the destruction of property, or to excite or incite Slaves to rebellion, or to make insurrection.”(“John Brown’s Final Speech, 1859” 7).

How were Harriet Tubman and John Brown alike/ not alike?

Harriet Tubman and John Brown had many similarities and differences from their life as an abolitionist, their goals in their lifetime, and their deaths. A difference the two share is Harriet was often called “Moses” because of her presence and courage to free the slaves which are synonymous with John being called “Old Osawatomie Brown for the actions he decided to take during his lifetime(Appleby 534). One thing they have in common is John had two spouses similar to Harriet who also had two spouses(“John Brown Biography” 3). John used the underground railroad as did Harriet during the time when slave hunters and slavery was increasing in America(Appleby 534). Another difference was Harriet was born in Dorchester County, Maryland whereas John was born in Torrington, Connecticut (“John Brown” 2). A distinction between the two is Tubman freed over 300 slaves whereas Brown was known for the raid on Harper’s Ferry(“John Brown” 9). Finally, John was hung on December 8, 1859, opposed to Harriet when she passed away of pneumonia on March 10, 1913(“John Brown’s Final Speech, 1859” 9). Nevertheless John Brown and Harriet Tubman had many similarities and differences including their nicknames, to their participation in the Underground

Railroad.

In conclusion John had the determination, courage, and strong beliefs that impacted others to follow. John Brown was an abolitionist, martyr, and a hero of the South. Brown also was known for the attack on Pottawatomie Creek, murderer of the South, and the slaves he attempted to free. Finally John had twenty children to look after and so many things to do before he died. John left a legacy to inspire others and change world one step at a time. “I have only a short time to live, only one death to die, and I will die fighting for this cause. There will be no peace in this land until slavery is done for.” -John Brown