What event is John Brown most famously associated with?

John Brown is most famously associated with the attack on Harpers Ferry, which took place in October 1859. This event was a pivotal moment in the lead-up to the Civil War, as Brown, an ardent abolitionist, aimed to initiate an armed slave revolt by seizing the federal armory located in Harpers Ferry, Virginia. His intention was to gather weapons and empower enslaved individuals to rise against their oppressors.

The attack ultimately failed, and Brown was captured and later executed, but it had profound implications for the national conversation surrounding slavery and the fight for abolition. His actions heightened tensions between the North and the South, contributing to the growing divide that would lead to the Civil War. Brown's willingness to take extreme measures for his cause made him a martyr for the abolitionist movement and solidified his place in American history.

In contrast, while the other events listed are significant in their own right, they do not directly connect to Brown's legacy as vividly as the Harpers Ferry raid does. The Dred Scott Decision dealt with the legal status of enslaved people, the Civil War was the culmination of tensions surrounding slavery, and the Compromise of 1850 aimed to resolve conflicts over slavery in new territories.