John Brown's Revenge-Arlana Brown(NHD PROJECT)

​VIDEO:http://dl.dropbox.com/u/2236335/John%20Brown%20-%20Medium.flv

Arlana Brown

Senior Division

NHD 2012

 

Process Paper

 

 

Out of all the possible topics, I wanted to go for one that reflected my beliefs in the past. The National History Day theme this year was Revolution, Reaction, and Reform in History or the 3 R’s for short. I chose to focus on John Brown and his involvement in slavery. I discovered on my journey that John Brown was an abolitionist but did not just care about saving people he wanted to abolish slaves.

 

I started my research by searching the Internet for letters or just simple information on his background. What shocked me the most was that he stopped at nothing and he was white. He sacrificed his life to save others and I started to dig even more. For primary sources I searched through personal letters and pictures provided by archives from different magazines. The most interesting part I found out is he refused services before he died, he didn’t want anyone spreading the gospel to him he wanted to be punished for his beliefs in abolishing slavery.

 

This was my first National History Day project so I chose a documentary video. It allowed me to use my creative side in a formal presentation. In using the documentary video I chose to do more of an informative theme. I did a voice over and at the end I played a actual video clip of a movie showing John Brown going to his “death”. I put text in there occasionally and used actual historians. I chose the pictures in my video to show the reenactment of the trials and tribulations individuals’ back then went through. To edit my pictures I used Photoshop.

 

John Brown gave others the opportunity to finish a dream he had.  He didn’t know the outcome his ideas would have but he did try. He never felt he was wrong even through his trial. He saw it as a chance to improve America and their way of being. Even though he wasn’t successful he shifted America’s attitude toward slavery. Thus, slavery did not end but for years to come it became better. The debate over John Brown’s intention is a very mixed feeling. Some feel like he was wrong for pursing slavery and knew the outcome of his actions but others feel like he started something and brought light to a very complex topic. John Brown’s Revolution highlights many aspects individuals did not know about.



Annotated Bibliography:

•John Brown on Harpers Ferry. N.d. Painting. Turboverbal, Philadelphia.
Annotation: I think this is important because this is a painting or depiction of the fight between him and the generals. I think this is important because I can actually show what I mean and not just talk about it. We can see that John Brown is still standing with both sides are wounded.
Brown, John. "John Brown to his Brother Frederick. John Brown to his Brother Frederick. John Brown letter." West Virginia Division of Culture And History. (1834): n. page. Web. 16 Feb. 2012.
<http://www.wvculture.org/history/jbexhibit/oldsouthbrownletter.html>.
Annotation: I think this is important to my research because I can compare letters he sent to other people and his brother. It can be a comparison on his style and if he withhold information from certain people. I also like this source because this letter can be
"John Brown Papers held by the Jefferson County Circuit Clerk's Office ." Folder 1 . Jefferson County: Web. 16 Feb. 2012. <http://www.wvculture.org/history/johnbrown/jbjeffcc.html>.
Annotation:I think this is a good source because these papers are like his certificate and different legal documents. I can use this in my documentary video to show the comparison between now and then. And how the legal process is different from similar cases to John Brown. I can compare human and inhuman things they do.



Secondary Sources:
Douglas, Fredrick. "Frederick Douglass on John Brown’s Revolutionary Vision." Kasama 16 October 2009, n. pag. Web. 16 Feb. 2012. <http://kasamaproject.org/2009/10/16/slave-leader-fred-on-john-brown/>.
Annotation: I think this is a great source because Fredrick Douglass is talking about what he thinks of the whole thing. I am using this because John Brown actually wanted Fredrick Douglass to go with him and fight but because of illness he reclined. I think this can be important to my research because I can get his opinion and if illness was the true reason he didn’t go.
Flounders, Sara. "Cuba, Haiti and John Brown – To Rebel Is Justified." [New York, NY] n.d., n. pag. Web. 16 Feb. 2012. <http://www.iacenter.org/haiti/john-brown.htm>.
Annotation:I think this is a great source also because it is comparing some of the biggest revolutions in the world with John Brown. They are saying why is a street named after John Brown who created so much trouble. I can get very many opinions of John Brown and contrast and compare the effects of his actions. How he has changed America in an American eye.
Faust, Patricia. "John Brown." Civil War Home. n. page. Web. 16 Feb. 2012. <http://www.civilwarhome.com/johnbrownbio.htm>.
Annotation: I think this is a good source because this basically a little biography of him. I am seeing a lot of different things about him. Some people facts about him differ so I can find out why and get a lot of information about him through this.

•Brown, John. "John Brown Speech." John Brown's Speech to the Court at his Trial. Charles Town, Virginia, Virginia . November 2, 1859. Speech.
I am using this information because this site goes and uses a passage of what John Brown actually said at his trial. It’s essential because of the major event that led to his death. I think this essential because it can help me and I can find some videos or a voice with him at his trial would be great. In my presentation I incorporate the voice so it sound more real.
Brown, John. "John Brown letters for the years 1833 thru 1859." Family Tales. Springfield, Massachusetts . 16th Jan., 1848.. Reading.
I am using this information because this is actual diaries from John Brown. This letter I will use because it concludes and leads up to his raid on Harper’s Ferry. This is essential because his thoughts are present in this diary.
•Brown, John. Personal Interview. 10.18.1859.
I am using this information because this is an interview at jail with John Brown and a senator. The senator ask him all these questions on how he feels. I think this is essential because this gets his feelings inside the jail. He always goes and says he doesn’t believe that he has been treated unfairly which is very well in this case. He’s at peace for the decisions.
Life and Letters of John Brown; Liberator of Kansas, and Martyr of Virginia, 1885, F. B. Sanborn.
I am using this information because this is another diary of John Brown. This time he decides to write to someone different who he just basically tells them how he is doing. Which I can use this at a different time to depict two different things.
• Virginia State of. John Brown. 1859. Photograph. Library of Virginia, Virginia.
I am using this information because this a photograph of John Brown in court. This is his actual court date and I think this is essential because I know how the court room looked and can focus on that surrounding and how it’s suppose to be incorporated.

Brown, John. "John Brown Speech." John Brown's Speech to the Court at his Trial. Charles Town, Virginia, Virginia . November 2, 1859. Speech.
-I am using this information because this site goes and uses a passage of what John Brown actually said at his trial. It’s essential because of the major event that led to his death. I think this essential because it can help me and I can find some videos or a voice with him at his trial would be great. In my presentation I incorporate the voice so it sound more real.
•Linder, Douglas. " The Trial of John Brown: A Commentary." 2005. Lecture.
-I am using this information because this is a commentary of everything that went on that day. This essential because it’s a historian who study this in depth and gave everything he knew about it. I can use this to find out thoughts of the jury and the judge.
Brown, John. "John Brown's Speech to the Court at his Trial." John Brown's Other Statements at his Trial. Virginia. 1859. Speech.
-I am using this information because the speech he uses has key points. I can point this out in the presentation because it shows the different views and how he feels his self. I think this is important because it also other quotes from him. “I feel entirely satisfied with the treatment I have received on my trial.” I think he played the devil advocate which is in good because it’s not so bias.
•"Virginia v. John Brown." Wikipedia. Wikipedia, n.d. Web. 5 Jan 2012. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virginia_v._John_Brown>.
-I am using this information because this is the trial that day. It goes in to depth of the state of Virgina vs. him and it gives information of really happened. I could incorporate this because I can factor in the tone of the court room if it was more so they were being mad at him for choosing to live that way..in way of trying to help others and wanting everyone to have equal rights.
•Brown, John. "The Trial of John Brown." The Trial of John Brown. NEW YORK. Charlestown, Virginia. 1859. Lecture.
-I am using this information because this is also another copy of the lecture. It also shows a depiction of a photo of John Brown at his execution being hanged. I need this information because the whole way his body structure is can play a big part of how I depict it in my presentation.

The Hanging ." PBS. Web. 5 Jan 2012. <http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/brown/peopleevents/pande10.html>.
-I am using this information because this is in depth more of the execution. What they did to him? What time he was executed because I want to do a movie or perform it live it goes in to the costumes and the lighting of every scene.
•, and Victor Hugo. The Hanging of John Brown. 1860. Photograph. n.p.
-I am using this information because this is another picture of him being hanged from a different view. Another reason I need this is because of the body structure and his face. In this source I would merely focus on the people around him rather then focusing on him.

 

•Aftermath." Web. 5 Jan 2012. <http://www.vahistorical.org/johnbrown/aftermath.htm>.
-I am using this information to end my presentation. This is the aftermath of the execution which I will focus on every one's reactions. I will be the devil’s advocate and get one good review and one bad review. All to conclude the presentation.
•, and Horace Pippin. John Brown Going to His Hanging. 1942. Photograph. PAFA, Philadelphia.
-I am using this photograph to be the near ending part of the presentation. In this photograph John Brown is being carried to his hanging. I will depict it a little differently though but while going to his execution I can zoom in on people’s reaction. In the picture its just every standing around while about 4-5 guys carry him.
•John Brown Hanging. 1859. Painting. n.p.
-This is another depiction of John Brown Hanging a painting. This can be used because everyone has a different view on how he was hung and how it happened. But these pictures seem to be so real because they include very much detail. This picture can be used because the picture kind of zooms just on him. Something that is different. The background is very important to. I can figure out where he actually is.

 . "John Brown's Raid." U.S History. U.s History, n.d. Web. 6 Jan 2012. <http://www.ushistory.org/us/32c.asp>.

-I wanted to use this source because it goes in depth of how the raid happened. It also includes visual explanations. I want to use the first paragraph to explore in depth on the history on why he wanted to raid Harper’s Ferry and how many people were involved.
•, and First Last. John Brown Raid Photos. N.d. Photograph. West Virginia Archives and History, Virginia.
-I wanted to use this source because this is an picture of John Brown’s Raid on Harper’s Ferry in Virgina. I think this is essential because I can compare pictures of the Harper before he invaded it and the ruins(aftermath) of the effects.
"John Brown's Raid, 1859" EyeWitness to History, www.eyewitnesstohistory.com
-I wanted to use this source because this is also an eye witness account of what happened. This includes quotes from John Brown from that day. I think it will be essential because in my presentation while presenting I can make these points very big and important.
•John Brown." Harpers Ferry. Web. 6 Jan 2012. <http://www.nps.gov/hafe/historyculture/john-brown.htm>.
-I wanted to use this source because it gives a little more information of the situation. I use this because it goes in to what he was charged with him due to the crimes he committed. I think this is essential because I need to use something and the presentation would be way better if I knew on how to incorporate his crimes and how it would flow together.
•"Raiders." Harpers Ferry. Web. 6 Jan 2012. <https://docs.google.com/a/scienceleadership.org/viewer?url=http://www.nps.gov/hafe/historyculture/upload/Raiders03-2.pdf>.
-I wanted to use this source because this is the perfect thing to incorporate on who also was involved in the raid with John Brown. Without them he wouldn’t even be able to get  that far with the crime. I think it’s essential because I can find some documents and see if they were convicted of any crimes with John Brown.

 

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