John Brown’s Provisional Constitution

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John Brown’s Provisional Constitution was a radical, quasi-governmental charter drafted in 1858 to outline the structure and principles of the insurrectionary government he envisioned for liberated enslaved people in the United States.

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Statements (46)

Predicate Object
instanceOf abolitionist political document
insurrectionary charter
provisional constitution
adoptedAt Chatham Convention NERFINISHED
adoptionDate May 1858
archivedIn various U.S. historical manuscript collections
associatedPerson Martin Delany NERFINISHED
other Black abolitionist delegates at Chatham
associatedWith radical antislavery networks in Canada and the United States
author John Brown NERFINISHED
category 19th-century political documents of the United States
Abolitionism in the United States
John Brown (abolitionist) NERFINISHED
contains articles of government
bill of rights–like provisions
preamble
defines executive branch
judicial branch
legislative branch
documentType handwritten political manuscript
draftDate 1858
draftLocation Chatham, Ontario NERFINISHED
emphasizes abolition of slavery
equality before the law
protection of the oppressed
envisionedPopulation liberated enslaved people
envisionedTerritory United States NERFINISHED
envisions armed resistance to slavery
governmentTypeEnvisioned provisional government
historicalContext pre–Civil War United States
influencedBy United States Constitution NERFINISHED
antislavery constitutional thought
language English
legalStatus extralegal
opposes chattel slavery in the United States
politicalOrientation radical abolitionist
purpose to outline a provisional government for liberated enslaved people in the United States
to provide a governmental framework for an anticipated slave insurrection
relatedToEvent John Brown’s raid on Harpers Ferry NERFINISHED
rightsAddressed due process
personal liberty
protection from oppression
significance illustrates the revolutionary dimension of antebellum abolitionism
provides insight into John Brown’s political and social vision
status never implemented as a functioning government
supportedBy a small group of Black and white abolitionists at Chatham

Referenced by (1)

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John Brown hasPart John Brown’s Provisional Constitution