Abolitionists
Definition: These people worked to abolish, or
end slavery. They believe no one has the rightto own another person.
*** Mostly Northerners
Famous abolitionists
• Sojourner Truth• Frederick Douglass• Harriett Tubman• William Lloyd Garrison• the Grimke Sisters• Dred Scott• Nat Turner
Harriett Beecher Stowe
The book told stories Stowe had heard from runaway slaves.
Slaves were fleeing the South and heading towards the North for freedom.
It helped turn the North against slavery. (slavery was morally wrong!)
Sold 300,000 copies in the first year.
John Brown’s Raid on Harper’s Ferry
• Brown led men to steal weapons for slaves to protect themselves against confederate soldiers.
• In 1859, John Brown and his followers seized a federal arsenal in Harpers Ferry, Virginia.
Raid at Harper’s Ferry• John Brown and 21 followers
attacked a U.S. arsenal at Harpers Ferry, Virginia.
– Planning to use the guns to arm a slave revolt, on October 16, 1859, the group captured the arsenal.
– He sent some of his group to spread the word to the area’s slaves to rise up in revolt, but they returned with a few hostages. No slaves were willing to run away and join Brown.
• Armed local townspeople followed by U.S. Marines fought Brown and his group.
• Brown and his surviving followers were tried; all were sentenced to hang. Brown was hanged December 2, 1859.
After the attack
"Now, if it is deemed necessary that I should
forfeit my life for the furtherance of the
ends of justice, and mingle my blood
further with the blood of millions in this
slave country whose rights are disregarded
by wicked, cruel, and unjust enactments, I
say, let it be done.“
- John Brown, statement at his sentencing on
Nov. 2, 1859
Last Moments of John Brown (painting by Thomas Hovenden)