The raid at Harper's Ferry refers to an event led by abolitionist John Brown in 1859 where he and his followers attempted to seize a federal arsenal in Virginia with the goal of starting an armed slave rebellion.
Related terms
John Brown: The leader of the raid at Harper's Ferry, considered a martyr by some due to his dedication towards ending slavery.
Bleeding Kansas: A period of violent conflicts between pro-slavery and anti-slavery settlers in Kansas Territory during its struggle for statehood.
Dred Scott Decision: A Supreme Court ruling that declared enslaved people were not citizens but instead property, further intensifying tensions between North and South over the issue of slavery.