John Brown’s Raid on Harpers Ferry
At a glance:
- Series: Great Events from History: North American Series
- Categories: Social Issues, Reform, and Protest, Military History
- Subcategories: Invasions, Raids, Conquests, Sieges, Slavery, Slaves, Revolutions, Rebellions, Uprisings, Riots, Abolition movement, Abolitionists
- Curriculum: African American History, American Civil War & Reconstruction Era (1856-1877)
- Geographical Location: Virginia, West Virginia
- Date: October 16-18, 1859
Article abstract: An attempt by a militant abolitionist to liberate and arm Virginia slaves makes civil war inevitable.
Summary of Event
John Brown’s abortive raid on the federal arsenal at Harpers Ferry, Virginia (now West Virginia), in October, 1859, stands out as a critical episode in the spiraling sequence of events that led Northerners and Southerners into the Civil War in 1861. Brown, long a militant abolitionist, emigrated to Kansas Territory in 1855 with five of his sons to participate in the struggle between proslavery and Free State forces...
[The entire page is 1489 words long]
Join eNotes
Over 3,500 study guides, question and answer forums, literature criticism, reference content, and much more!
