oct 16, 1859 - John Brown Raids Harpers Ferry
Description:
As John Brown realized where things were headed in terms of attempting to fix the national dispute, he decided to take matters into his own hands. Arming his followers as well as some slaves, he attempted to raid a national armory in Virginia in order to gain the weaponry to stage a full-on assault on pro-slavery southerners. While it was unsuccessful and got Brown killed, it caused the south to get ready for combat. In addition, abolitionists saw him as a martyr for the cause and grew in their conviction that slavery had to be stopped. With the south preparing for battle, the north would also have to get ready to fight back. Since both sides were angry and ready to use violence to protect their beliefs, much more tension would result in a horrible, deadly clash.
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Events Leading to the Civil War
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