American History before 1877

While the revolutions between 1776 and 1783 established the United States, the civil war between 1861 and 1865 is a defining period of the nation’s history. The victory in the war preserved the U.S as a country where everyone has equal rights to liberty and lead to the abolishment of slavery that had, for a long time, divided the country. John Brown was an abolitionist and an extreme opponent of slavery, who believed that words achieved nothing. Although extreme, his actions laid a foundation for civil rights movements through demands for full social and political equality for America’s marginalized population. Therefore, John Brown is a viable choice for the textbook cover based on American freedom and slavery. This research validates John Brown’s merits and two other revolutionaries who would fit his shoes in the opposition to slavery and the fight for freedom of all Americans (Boston, 2004).