American Battlefield Trust
John Brown
How did the raid on Harper's Ferry contribute to the start of the Civil War? Curated for high school historians, the activity explains John Brown's contribution to the start of the Civil War by using violence to demand an end to slavery....
Curated OER
"We Came to Free the Slaves": John Brown on Trial
Students explore the plight of John Brown to fight slavery. In this Brown vs. Board of Education lesson, students listen to a lecture regarding Brown's work to free slaves through rebellion. Students participate in classroom discussion...
Curated OER
John Brown's Raid on Harper's Ferry
Fourth graders discover facts about John Brown. In this Harper's Ferry Raid lesson, 4th graders evaluate the lyrics to the song "John Brown's Body", and write a descriptive obituary about John Brown. Students also view pictures of John...
Curated OER
John Brown's Raid on Harper's Ferry and John Brown's Body
Fourth graders discuss John's Brown's Raid on Harper's Ferry. In this John Brown lesson, 4th graders analyze a newspaper article about the raid, and write a descriptive obituary about John Brown. Students view pictures of John Brown and...
Curated OER
John Brown's Passion to End Slavery Leading Up to and Including the Rain at Harpers Ferry
Sixth graders investigate John Brown's fight to end slavery. In this slavery lesson, 6th graders read Harpers Ferry, The Story of John Brown's Raid and then research his life as well as the life of slave Osbourne Perry Anderson. Students...
Curated OER
Trial of John Brown, 1857
Students examine how John Brown's 1857 trial related to conflicting viewpoints on slavery, view perspectives of radical abolitionists, moderate abolitionists, and slave owners, and form their own opinions on issue of slavery.
Curated OER
John Brown Lesson Plan
Students investigate John Brown. In this U.S. history slavery lesson, students view a PowerPoint presentation about John Brown. Students discuss the North's and South's reaction to John Brown's raid, and determine whether they think...
Curated OER
John Brown Lesson Plan
Students create timelines of the Harper's Ferry Raid. In this Civil War lesson, students analyze information and music related to John Brown and his abolitionist work. Students design timelines that document the events that led to and...
Louisiana Department of Education
The Scarlet Letter
Use Nathanial Hawthorne's immortal text on the influence of religion on the early American settlements, as well as its continued impact on American culture, with a unit that focuses on The Scarlet Letter. In addition to Hawthorne's...
Curated OER
Runaway Ads
Fourth graders distinguish between primary and secondary sources while creating an underground railroad presentation. In this underground railroad lesson, 4th graders research the underground railroad using copies of primary and...
Curated OER
A Durable Memento: Portraits by Augustus Washington
Students read primary source newspaper articles from mid 19th century United States. The topics of the articles are slavery, abolitionism and colonization. Students are given several options for activities based on the readings.
Curated OER
Black Americans in Delaware from 1639 to the Present: An Overview
Learners complete matching activities and write an essay about Black Americans in Delaware from 1639.
University of Missouri
Famous Trials: Trial of John Brown: Lee's Report on the Attack at Harper's Ferry
The text of the message Robert E. Lee sent to his adjutant general on Oct. 19, 1859 concerning his men's actions in response to John Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry.
Digital History
Digital History: Explorations: John Brown: Hero or Terrorist?
Comprehensive account explores John Brown, the Attack at Harper's Ferry, and his trial. You decide if he was a hero or a terrorist.
University of Missouri
Famous Trials: The Trial of John Brown
An excellent presentation on the trial and the life of John Brown. You can read a report of the trial itself, view images related to John Brown and much more.
University of California
History Project: The Trial and Execution of John Brown
Using primary source documents, high school lesson plan focuses on John Brown, the events at Harper's Ferry, and his trial and execution. Included are excerpts from 16 primary source documents to aid in the research of writing this paper.
Digital History
Digital History: John Brown at Harper's Ferry [Pdf]
Find out about the influences in John Brown's life that led him to think inciting a slave insurrection would be the way to get rid of slavery. Read about his actions in Kansas, and the raid he planned at Harper's Ferry. [pdf]
Digital History
Digital History: Harper's Ferry
Read about the infamous raid on Harper's Ferry by John Brown and his band in 1859. His first plan had a chance of success thought Frederick Douglass, but the plan that was carried out was doomed from the start. See what John Brown was...
Library of Congress
Loc: Slaves and the Courts
Slaves and the Courts, 1740-1860 contains just over a hundred pamphlets and books (published between 1772 and 1889) concerning the difficult and troubling experiences of African and African-American slaves in the American colonies and...