...John Brown, born at the turn of the century in 1800, lived most of his younger life isolated in the wilderness of Connecticut. Brown and his father, Owen Brown, are prime examples of “the apple does not fall far from the tree.” Brown Sr. raised his family to be Calvinist Christians and to oppose slavery. Not surprisingly, Brown maintained his Calvinist faith and strong opposition of slavery through the entirety of his life. At twelve years old, Brown witnessed his first violent act against a slave. Brown felt no difference between the slave and himself. In Brown’s adult life, he often asked God to guide him in his actions. Brown felt God told him it was time to use force in abolishing slavery. Brown argued that if God armed his apostle, Peter, God wanted him armed as well. In May of 1856, Brown led the Pottawatomie Massacre killing five people that were pro-slavery. Beginning in his teenage years, Brown began to express his competitive nature and demand to lead. By age seventeen, Brown opened a competing...
Words: 625 - Pages: 3
...Those who struggle to attain education are those who truly comprehend the importance of possessing an education. Whether it is the un-educated slave Fredrick Douglas, the semi-educated leader Malcolm-X, or the savvy mid-aged student David Sedaris, all three men comprehend the advantages and disadvantages of being educated. When Malcolm X states, “My homemade education gave me a little bit more sensitivity to the deafness, dumbness, and blindness that was afflicting the black race in America” (Malcolm X 232), this idea could be applied to every race on every continent and in all facets of life. Through out all three selections the apparent theme is the importance of total immersion into the realm of self-education. In the cases of both Fredrick Douglas and Malcolm X, without education neither man would have lived out the life he did. It is also safe to presume that with out the facts of slavery, the motivation behind the two men’s education would have been lacking. In Douglas’ instance being a slave in the first place started him on the path of education. He mentioned, “The first step had been taken, my mistress in teaching me the alphabet, had given me the inch, and no precaution could prevent me from taking the ell” (Douglass 223). When Douglas learned to read, it helped him to understand the gravity of the situation he was in and to what extent it would take to get himself out. Like Douglas and Sedaris, education gave Malcolm X the feeling of being “mentally alive” (Malcolm...
Words: 644 - Pages: 3
...Tiffany Myers Professor Russo English 202B April 30, 2013 To Define a Man Such as John Brown It has been over one hundred and fifty years since John Brown and his army of twenty men swooped into Harpers Ferry, trying to execute their plan that was plotted in secret and launched in the dark. Since those fateful two days and the following executions many have posed the question: how should they remember John Brown? Was he a bloodthirsty zealot, a vigilante, a terrorist, or a madman? Or was he one of the great heroes of American history, a freedom fighter and martyr to the cause of human liberty? Or was he a prophet foretelling what was to befall the nation? Many people have since stated their opinions, such as Thoreau who calls John Brown a Christ figure, yet we still debate this topic and have no one clear definite answer. After reading some of the information about John Brown I believe him to be a combination of terrorist, martyr, and prophet. Not only does he fulfill the definitions of each label, but there are many examples to support them as well. John Brown was a man who willingly met death and sacrificed himself for his belief in ending slavery. He was also a man not afraid or easily cowed by the use of violence to bring about political change. A terrorist is a person who uses violence and intimidation in the pursuit of political aims(“terrorist” def. 1) John Brown uses violence multiple times in his pursuit to end slavery. Not only did he use it at Harper’s...
Words: 1678 - Pages: 7
...use of violence at the Harper Ferry raid, the Pottawatomie Massacre, and the Battle of Osawatomie, John Brown forced the citizens of the US to re-examine the injustices and inequity of slavery enforced by the government. The raid and resulting execution was a major turning point in the abolitionist movement, leading to the use of violence in several previous peaceful abolitionists to push for the end of slavery. His actions reflected his views on the legalized criminality of slavery in his state, but were far overdone, earning him the title of a “misguided fanatic” and overall being considered a villain. In the early 1850’s, Brown earned respect from fellow abolitionists by fighting against proslavery “border Russians.” However, this quickly became violent, and in 1856 at the Pottawatomie Massacre in Kansas, Brown slaughtered five proslavery citizens in the middle of the night. In this single attack, Brown doubled the body count and angered his enemies. If it was his goal to bring about conflict- to act as an accelerant- he accomplished that. The body count in Kansas dramatically increased in the later months, securing the nickname “Bleeding Kansas” for the territory....
Words: 482 - Pages: 2
...Harriet Tubman is a well known strong woman. Many you may know her for running the underground railroad, but I am going to go more into depth! I will inform you about her early life, her big escape, and how she helped other slaves! Harriet’s name wasn’t always Harriet her legal name was Araminta Harriet Ross. As a child and an adult she has nicknames like, Minty, Moses, and General Tubman. Early life for Harriet is probably a lot different than yours. Her parents were enslaved in Dorchester County, Maryland where she was born (date is unknown). Harriet’s parents are Harriet “Rit” Green and Ben Ross. Sadly violence was a part of Harriet’s daily life. One day Harriet was sent out to go get items from the dry-goods store, When there was a slave who tried to get away. The overseer yelled at Harriet to stop the slave, but she didn’t! The overseer threw a weight, it hit Harriet’s head! Sense the terrible injury Harriet has random seizures, headaches, and narcoleptic episodes. Harriet told people that she has crazy dreams that just seem so real! Harriet changed her name from Araminta to Harriet around the time of her marriage. The Escape of Harriet: One day Harriet received a letter from a white man, the letter told her how to escape from slavery! She followed the directions, so she went from house to house they were a part of the underground railroad. They would disguise the slave and would stay either the night or a couple of days until they would go to a new house! Harriet...
Words: 352 - Pages: 2
... 2015 Arguments in regard of John Brown NO John Brown was an ardent abolitionist who felt that it was his sacred duty to end slavery. He strongly believed that slavery can only be ended using a violent way of actions. In 1856, he along with his sons, used machetes and broad swords to murder pro-slavery men to death at Pottowattami Creek. They dragged unarmed men and sons to the streets and killed them. On October 1859, Brown and twenty-one followers seized the federal arsenal at Harpers Ferry, Virginia. Their intent was to take rifles and start massive insurrection of slavery and eventually spread it among the nation. However, when the raid started not a lot of people were willing to join the rebellion so Brown led a small army of 18 men. Brown didn’t even know what is the next step and didn’t have any escape road, he literally led his men including his four sons to a death road. Brown’s main intent was to seize slaves for the rebellion, although he denied it. John Brown was seen as a terrorist and his violent actions led to the American Civil War. Even though his believes proclaimed a righteous intent his actions were not supporting such way of thinking. He killed lots of men and was going to keep doing so until all four million slaves are going to be freed. But that could not have happened because people couldn't set their minds and couldn't believe that white men is equal to black. This believe was counted as insane and John brown was considered as crazy and violent...
Words: 862 - Pages: 4
...Harriet Tubman is know as Ms.Tubman from being married to Mr. Tubman or better known as John Tubman. She kept the name even when he did not support her trying to escape because he was a free slave. He threatened to turn her in several times and when she escaped he immediately re-married. Harriet Tubman had many names and nicknames. Her nickname everyone knows her by today is Moses the biblical hero who helped free slaves from Egypt. When she was a little kid she was called Minty but her real name that her parents called her by was Araminta Ross. Then she took the name Harriet after her mother died. Harriet Tubman was born a slave and has her birthday recorded as March 1822. Harriet always dreamed of being any slaves. Many times she...
Words: 838 - Pages: 4
...There is no need to tell how happy I am by facing such an inspiring subject by comparing and contrasting two of the essays that I have read. Malcolm X “Learning to Read , with Frederick Douglass “Learning to Read and Write”. Both Frederick Douglass and Malcolm X set a part an extensive amount of details to describing the process by which they learned to read and write, and, as important, the obstacles that they they confronted. Douglass explains that he had to acquire his reading and writing skills in secretive and, in one of the Important quotes from “Learning to Read and Write” regarding literacy, it said, “he had no regular Teacher” (para .1), and his owner and his mistress consider slavery and education to be incompatible, Douglass equates illiteracy with living in a” mental darkness” (para.1) and, from an early age he devotes Himself to learn first how to read and then how to write by the help of the young white boys. Just as with X, Douglass thrills at the challenges of learning to read and write and, sees this as part of the road to his salvation from “mental darkness” that once enslave him. Similary, X responds responds to his passion to learn to read and write by creating the conditions that made such learning possible despite some challenging circumstances. While in prison, X teaches himself to read by going through dictionary page by page. In order to remember what he has learned, he copied every single page. He explained in one of the...
Words: 641 - Pages: 3
...Even though Frederick Douglass and Malcolm X are both African American men from two different time periods, both authors wrote with similar aspects. Douglass was a slave, while Malcolm was a criminal, both men did not have the ability to obtain a higher form education. It was their desire to learn that divided them from others around them, so the education that they gained changed them. Douglass and Malcolm both grew to understand the importance of an education, as well as being able to read and write, as well as any of the other simply basic parts of an education. In Frederick Douglass’ “Learning to Read and Write” and Malcolm’s “Learning to Read” we can find many similarities and many difference between then men. Frederick Douglass discusses the obstacle of learning to read, he states that “slavery and education were incompatible with each other” (Douglass, 2004, p.101). This quote shows us how hard it was to obtain an education for a slave. Obtaining an education wasn’t only hard for him but he had to do it in silence to protect him and his mistress, who had helped learn his education from his punishment. Although Malcolm X never was a slave, he can relate with Douglass when it comes to how they learned how to read. When in prison Malcolm would sit at the foot of his bed just so he could use the light from the corridor to be able to read. He would have to hide and his book under his bed when the guards came through for secrecy. Frederick Douglass’ struggle with trying to...
Words: 906 - Pages: 4
...Thomas Jefferson, United States’s second vice president, clearly stated in the Declaration of Independence: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” Ironically, all beings have been aggravated by society to maintain the freedom of their ethnicity for years. African-American abolitionist and self-taught writer, Frederick Douglass, uncovers the white supremacy demonstrated in the form of slavery in his novel: Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass. Its crucial content revolutionized how Americans perceive slavery since northerners in the 19th century were awfully convinced giving an African-American the life of bondage was none other than acceptable. White supremacy is the collaboration of people. Where all spread social hierarchies that exclude might. In the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, Douglass asserts: “I saw in every white man an enemy, and in almost every colored man an enemy, and in almost every colored man cause for distrust…[and] to understand it, one must...experience it…” (Douglass 113) This suggests the absorbance of gloomy behavior and attitudes about white male’s features particularly. Foreigners, however, are belittled on a daily basis, causing people to have a slightly different idea about all ethnicities generally. We are swayed by society. America drags people into uncovering...
Words: 750 - Pages: 3
...Tanner Schumm Mr. R Lambert English 122 26 April 2013 Learning To Read And Write Enslavement is a word that carries many meanings. Man can be enslaved by force, behind prison walls, by chains, or by one’s very own mind. Liberation is yet another word that brings to mind many meanings. Liberating one’s self can be the act of relieving that force, climbing the prison wall, breaking the chain, or freeing your mind from the very oppressions that hold it down. Fredrick Douglass and Malcolm X both shared the unfortunate common bond of oppression and enslavement and both found salvation and liberation through reading. Though the commonality of liberation was shared, the stories by which their journeys were told couldn’t have differed more. Through the essays of “Learning to Read” by Malcolm X and “Learning to Read and Write” by Fredrick Douglass, we see how their rhetorical techniques differ. After observing both essays we will come to understand why it is that due to his strong, convincing tone Malcolm X conveys a better story and catches our attention with his rhetoric better than Douglass. To fully understand how liberation is achieved and how enslavement of the mind can be completely abolished, we must join both Douglass and X in learning how read. Fredrick Douglass was born a slave and was never given the luxury of education until his master instructed his wife to teach Douglass to read. Taking advantage of being in the situation he was placed in, Douglass did whatever...
Words: 1189 - Pages: 5
...ESSENTIALS OF PROTECTION Joseph Kornas Henley-Putnam University As a Personal Protection Specialist, I am charged with the responsibility for the Security, Safety, Health, and Well-being of another human being. In keeping with these obligations, I pledge my honor, reputation and, if necessary, my life. These are the words the Personal Protection Specialist lives by. Protection Specialists hold themselves to the highest standards of Honesty, Courtesy, Integrity, and Moral Character in performance of their duties. Popular cultures, most professional corporations, military institutions, governmental agencies and businesses are guided by specific rules enumerated in a formal ethical code of conduct. Included in such codes are ideals and virtues as fairness, courtesy, tolerance, compassion, loyalty, forgiveness, kindliness, integrity, truthfulness, honesty, social responsibility, prudence, justice, temperance, and courage. All are signs of solid character, reputation, and beneficence .They work diligently to stay physically fit and mentally strong to overcome any obstacle they may or may not encounter. A Protection Specialist must be vigilant and aware of his surroundings and prepare for an attack/incident from various sources and locations. Marcus Luttrell a retired Navy Seal put it best when he said " You must keep your head on a swivel", which in simplest of terms means to always watch your surroundings and expect the...
Words: 1700 - Pages: 7
...Dear David, In my opinion, John Brown is neither a Hero nor a Terrorist. He is a man who fought on what he believe is true. He stood for what he think is right and that drove him to do things even if that means killing people in the process. John Brown has the right mindset of pursuing racial equality and to free the slaves. However, I do not agree in the way he tried to handle the situation he was given. I truly believe that he is a good person and wanted to make a difference in their time, I just don’t approve with the unnecessary killing what he had done to those five people that was murdered at Pottawatomie. We can apply one of Robert McNamara’s lessons to justify John Brown’s action at Pottawatomie with “In order to be good, you may have to engage in evil.” Feeling as if he was a complete failure and that of someone who has nothing left to lose, John Brown is willing to do whatever it is for the purpose of his cause. I can understand why he thought that killing these people is justified since at the time, all that things that support his cause seems to be falling like when the free-state men of Lawrence fell to the hundreds of armed border ruffians. Another is when the abolitionist Senator Charles Sumner was almost beaten to death with a cane while working at the senate floor. John Brown felt as if it was an attack by the South to further hinder his cause to free the slaves. The Pottawatomie Massacre ignited an all-out war in Kansas where one of his sons...
Words: 356 - Pages: 2
...John Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry, also known as John Brown's raid or the raid on Harpers Ferry, was conducted by fanatical abolitionist John Brown and twenty-one followers in October 1859. It is considered one of the major events that led to the American Civil War. Brown was born in a staunchly Calvinist and antislavery family in Torrington, Connecticut, in 1800. His father was strongly opposed to slavery. When John was five, his father relocated the family to Ohio, a district that would become known for its antislavery views. There, his father “served as a conductor with the ‘Underground Railroad’” (Fredriksen 937). He “embraced his parent’s strident abolitionist views toward slavery” (937). Despite his numerous economic problems, he constantly...
Words: 338 - Pages: 2
...Ideologically, Henry David Thoreau, Frederick Douglass, and Tim O’Brien share very similar values, despite being authors of significantly different time periods. They all share the mentality it is your duty to rebel when you know something is wrong/unjust, even if the majority or higher power rules against your favor. Individuals must think for themselves and not just believe or support what they are told. It is important that those in a society make decisions and judge the right or wrongness in a situation. Henry David Thoreau expresses his disdain for excess involvement of the government in his short story, “Civil Disobedience”. He begins by saying, “I heartily accept the motto, ‘That government is best which governs the least (1097)”. Essentially, Thoreau states the government should not try to involve itself within a society, because the more a government is involved, the more it hurts those in its society. Thoreau believes individuals should not be restricted, they should be able to make their own choices based on their own beliefs, instead of submitting unquestioningly to and relying on the state's authority. The people's first obligation is to do what they believe is right and not to follow the law dictated by the majority. Following this logic, those who believe the government is unjust should actively disobey the law. They should disobey because otherwise they would inadvertently be supporting the wrongdoings of their government. Thoreau asserts that one is not obliged...
Words: 917 - Pages: 4
