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In October 1859, American John Brown (1800-1859) and a group of twenty others tried to seize the United States armory at Harpers Ferry, Virginia. Why?

Answer: Brown, a prominent abolitionist, sought to start a slave revolt using the weapons at the armory. He was defeated by a detachment of marines led by Robert E. Lee, but his attempted revolt is considered an important precursor to the American Civil War (1861-1865).

Source: Slavery in the United States by Junius P. Rodriguez

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