Which senator was famously attacked with a cane by Preston Brooks?

The senator famously attacked with a cane by Preston Brooks was Charles Sumner. This incident occurred in May 1856 in the Senate chamber and was a significant moment in the growing tensions surrounding the issue of slavery in the United States. Sumner, an outspoken abolitionist, had delivered a speech titled "The Crime Against Kansas," in which he criticized pro-slavery advocates and specifically targeted Brooks' relative, Senator Andrew Butler. Motivated by a perceived affront to his family's honor, Brooks confronted Sumner in the Senate and violently attacked him with a heavy cane.

This event was emblematic of the rising violence and partisanship over the issue of slavery, illustrating how political discourse had escalated into physical confrontations. It galvanized public opinion on both sides of the slavery debate and contributed to the polarization that characterized the period leading up to the Civil War. Understanding this incident is crucial for grasping the complexities of American political and social dynamics in the mid-19th century.