AP US History in 1 Minute Daily: John Brown's Raid (Day 133/309)

Hey APUSHers, let’s chat about John Brown’s Raid as part of my series- APUSH in 1 Minute Daily!

John Brown’s Raid, Library of Congress

In 1859, tensions between abolitionists and proslavery supporters reached a fever pitch in the aftermath of John Brown’s Raid.

John Brown, Wikimedia Commons

John Brown, an abolitionist who participated in “Bleeding Kansas,” was determined to end slavery. He viewed his mission as divinely inspired and believed violence was both necessary and acceptable.

The Last Moments of John Brown, Princeton University

He led an attack on the federal arsenal at Harpers Ferry with the intent of arming enslaved persons for a rebellion, but the raid was thwarted by the U.S. Marines, leading to Brown’s execution for treason.

Tragic Prelude, Wikimedia Commons

With front page news for 6 months, Northerners celebrated him as a martyr for his unwavering stance. However, Southerners labeled him a criminal madman and viewed the attack as proof of a broader conspiracy to foment slave revolts.

John Brown’s Raid at Harpers Ferry is one of the events that pushed the nation toward the Civil War. It clearly revealed the deep divisions over slavery that would ultimately lead to the conflict.

Join me tomorrow as I explain the End of the Second Party System in the next APUSH in 1 Minute Daily!