Why John Brown is Significant to American History
Throughout our American history there have been many people who have greatly influenced and shaped our country. Without the actions of these people some of the great changes that were made in our country could have never occurred. John Brown is one of these very influential humans. Brown was a major contributor in the freedom of African Americans. He showed the south that the abolitionists were a real threat, and made the north realize that they needed to step in and put an end to this inhumanity. Without John Brown slavery may have never been put to rest. John Brown is significant to American history because he was one of the first abolitionists to use violence to further the abolishment of slavery; he gave up his life for the freedom of slaves, and was a catalyst that sparked the civil war.
John Brown was one of the first abolitionists to use violence to further the abolishment of slavery. He showed the south that he and the other anti-slavery abolitionists were a real threat, and should be taken seriously. Brown was part of the free soil party (against slavery). Brown had, had enough of protesting in peaceful means that were coming up unsuccessful. (Benson) Brown wanted to show that he meant business. “He vowed to strike a violent blow at the heart of slavery.”(Benson). Brown then developed a plan to create a slave rebellion. In response to a violent attack in the free soil town of Lawrence, Kansas Brown and his followers planned a violent raid. (Benson) “In a nighttime attack on a proslavery settlement, Brown and his followers killed five settlers. Learning of this attack, hundreds of settlers rushed to arm themselves. By the end of 1856 at least two hundred Kansans had died.” ( Benson). This attack on Pottawatomie Creek scared many of the settlers in Kansas. Both sides, pro-slavery and anti-slavery were determined to make Kansas their own. (“Harpers Ferry Raid”) This showed the pro-slavery settlers that...