In the mid 1800's war was in the air. It was a smell, a feeling; it was spreading like a disease and everyone was catching it. It drove people to different decisions on the same idea and this led to trouble. Trouble usually means war, and war means political craziness. At this time the president had his hand full because the union was going to split in two slave states and Free states.*.
During this time of political chaos, a time where the southern states would try and cheat the northern out of a fair boat, one man decided to take it upon himself to end slavery. John Brown wanted to set up his own nation if freed slaves in Appalachia. He wanted to get free the slaves from the south, and felt the only way to accomplish this goal was by violence. He took matters into his own hands and raided Harpers Ferry, with the support of the Secret Six ( Gerrit Smith, Theodore Parker, Thomas Parker, Sam Howe, George Stearns, and Franklin Sanborn), and to the dismay of Fredrick Douglas whose opinion on this murderous act was just that, lawless. All in all John Brown was hung December 2, 1859 and John Brown the murderer became known John Brown the Mauder in many Northern States.*.
Also around these crucial years there was going to be new president in office. Republican Candidate Abraham Lincoln won the republican nomination, after three tries to elect a candidate though. Ohio changed 4 votes to secure his nomination and give him the victory over William Seward. Lincoln was a good choice for a president during this time of secession. His stance on slavery was that slavery could stay in the states where it is now, but there will be no expansion of it. He believed that the fore fathers understood that slavery was a part of Southern culture, but would eventually die out. He did not agree with slavery, but did not agree with the way John Brown Handled it. Lincoln had a few concerns on what to do with the freed slaves? He wondered if it would really help the slaves; being as they would probably be persecuted, what should we do with the slaves; make them citizens or send them back to Africa?* .
