December 2, 2009

December 2, 2009 President Obama last night said he wants to send 30,000 more troops to Afghanistan. They will be there for over a year. Do you approve of this? What would you do differently, if anything?

Homework: Some of the most adamant opponents of slavery and racism have been white. What place do they have in African American History? How do they fit?

John Brown On November 2, 1859, John Brown was hanged He led a group of 19 in a raid on the Federal Arsenal at Harpers Ferry, West Virginia 4 were killed by the raiders

John Brown Believed slavery must be violently opposed Believed he was on a mission from God Was a failure in most things he tried except for this Was in favor of killing to oppose slavery

“Bleeding Kansas” Brown was active in Kansas before the Civil War In 1856 Brown’s forces hacked to death 5 pro slavery men in Pottawatomie, Kansas

“Bleeding Kansas” To be fair, Brown’s actions were in retaliation for similar acts by pro slavery forces Does that make a difference? Does the end justify the means?

John Brown Was trying to start a slave rebellion The Harpers Ferry armory had about 100,000 rifles Brown was planning on using them to arm the slaves that he was sure were coming

Frederick Douglass Knew of the raid Knew Brown very well Tried to talk Brown out of the raid Discouraged African Americans from enlisting with Brown Knew the raid wouldn’t work

John Brown

Was tried for: treason against Virginia 5 counts of murder Inciting slaves to rebel He was found guilty Brown wanted to be a martyr for the anti slavery cause

John Brown On the day of his death he wrote "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 now think, vainly flattered myself that without very much bloodshed it might be done."

Exit Ticket Questions

#1: Was John Brown a hero, or was John Brown a terrorist? #2 : What effect did the Brown raid have on the South? #3 : Does “the end justify the means?”