John Brown

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John Brown (on the left) attends an abolition meeting in Cleveland in 1838. This meeting moved him and motivated him to take action against slavery, at whatever the cost. He later publiclydeclared to end the institution of slavery.
With 5 of his sons, Brown headed for Kansas during the 1850s to fight against the proslavery forces in the fight for that territory. This action led to him becoming a prominent abolitionist when he indeed attacked some proslavery troops.
On May 25th, 1856, Brown and his sons attacked 3 cabins along Pottawatomie Creek. They killed 5 men and sparked a chaotic summer in that territory. This event made Brown well known for his abolitionism and it motivated him to proceed with his actions.
In 1857, Brown returned to the East and began raising money for an uprising against slavery. He started assembling an army that included both black and white men. They rented a farm near Harpers Ferry and prepared for an assault.
During October 1859, Brown and his army raided an arsenal and captured some hostages at Harpers Ferry. U.S. Marines, then, quickly came and took down Brown's army. 10 of his men were killed and the rest were tried in court.
For his actions, Brown was tried in the state of Virginia for treason and murder. On November 2nd, he was found guilty and was sentenced to death. Although Brown wasn't entirely successful, he had a big impact on the abolitionist movement of the late 19th century. His attempts moved the country closer to the Civil War.

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