Chapter 17: Road to Civil War "John Brown's Raid" Introduction      In this chapter, you learned about how the divisive issue of slavery in America led to outbursts of violence between pro-slavery and antislavery groups. Perhaps no incident of bloodshed shocked America like abolitionist John Brown's raid on the arsenal at Harpers Ferry in 1859. Log onto the Internet to take a closer look at this dramatic event. Destination Title: Africans in America Note: Clicking on the link above will launch a new browser window. Need help using your browser for this activity? Click here for tips. Directions Start at the Africans in America Web site. Click on Judgment Day. Click on Resource Bank. Scroll down to Historical Documents. Examine several of the historical documents pertaining to John Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry and answer the following questions. 1. Click on Portrait of John Brown. What words are brought to mind by the photograph of Brown? 2. Click on "Harpers Ferry" Headline. Based on what you know about the raid, why does the headline declaring the raid an "extensive negro conspiracy" seem exaggerated? 3. Click on John Brown Addresses the Court. Why did Brown oppose his attorney's legal strategy? 4. How did Brown defend his actions in court?