Description

Martyr, madman, murderer, hero: John Brown remains one of history's most controversial and misunderstood figures. In the 1850s, he and his ragtag guerrilla group embarked on a righteous crusade against slavery that was based on religious faith -- yet carried out with shocking violence. His execution at Harpers Ferry sparked a chain of events that led to the Civil War. Renehan talks about Fugitive slave law - final proof constitution flawed, Fugitive slave law - abolitionists lobby for secession, Northern secession - treatment for cancer is amputation, Non - violence - no longer a practical solution, Fugitive slave law - demands violence, Higginson, John Brown in court, Douglass - John Brown told him slavery wouldn't end w/out bloodbath, Burns/Higginson - rescues spontaneous acts of violence, Fugitive slave law - made "a" John Brown inevitable, North Elba - dream, left for Kansas to be at focal point, Kansas - revitalizes John Brown's sense of duty, Kansas - birth of Messianic Brown, Kansas - Brown's station, desolate, awful, poverty stricken, Kansas - John Brown responding to violence, following God , Failure - felt inadequate, frustrated, Kansas - eruption against slavery & his own failure

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WGBH

Record Harvested From

Digital Commonwealth