Industrial Age · North America · Politics

1859

John Brown's Raid

October 16, 1859

An abolitionist fanatic with a face like an Old Testament prophet led eighteen men in seizing the federal arsenal at Harpers Ferry, Virginia, hoping to start a slave insurrection. Robert E. Lee, then a federal colonel, led the marines who captured him. Brown was hanged in December. Thoreau called him an angel. The South called him war.

More from 1859 Industrial Age

In context

Also in 1859 (4 other events on record)

Origin of Species Published · Europe · Science
First Oil Well · North America · Technology
Battle of Solferino · Europe · War
French Enter Indochina · Southeast Asia · War

Before and after in North America

Before: August 16, 1858: Lincoln-Douglas Debates
After: November 6, 1860: Lincoln Elected

Before and after in Politics

Before: September 24, 1858: Hong Kong Treaty of Tientsin
After: March 24, 1860: Treaty of Turin

Era

Industrial Age (1801–1900), one of 513 events from that era on Saeculum.

Sources

Wikipedia: John Brown (abolitionist)