Radical Black Activists And John Brown

Teaching Ideas

Explore this section to: 1)Learn about how to use this exhibit in the classroom and 2) See how John Brown’s Fort (the Engine House) is portrayed at Harpers Ferry National Historical Park through an interactive timeline.

 

Discussion Questions

Grades 7-9

1. Who was John Brown and why are he and his allies important to American history?

2. What happened during the Harpers Ferry Raid?

3. Who were some of John Brown’s Black allies?

Grades 10-12

1. How did Black Radical activists influence and work with John Brown?

2. What was the Chatham Convention? Who were some of the people who attended and took part in the Convention?

3. What did John Brown propose in his “Provisional Constitution”? How did people respond to it at the Chatham Convention?

4. How was the Harpers Ferry Raid discussed in newspapers? How did geography (time and place) play a role in how the Raid was discussed?

Undergraduate Students

1. What was the Radical Abolitionist Party and how was John Brown involved?

2. How does archival research show up/how is it included in the exhibit? What research still needs to be done?

3. How did the “Address To The Slaves Of The United States” influence Brown?

Credits

Created by Jessica Thelen, PhD student in English for P. Gabrielle Foreman’s ENGL/HIST 677 class, Spring, 2019. Edited by P. Gabrielle Foreman.