Abolitionism was a movement aimed at ending the trade of enslaved people and emancipating enslaved people in the United States. Throughout the work, abolitionism serves as the ideological backbone behind Brown’s actions and beliefs. It not only contextualizes his raid on Harpers Ferry but also connects various figures and events leading up to the Civil War, demonstrating how the fight against enslavement was deeply intertwined with the moral and political debates of the era.

The Civil War, occurring from 1861 to 1865, was a pivotal conflict in American history, primarily centered around the secession of the Confederate States and the issue of enslavement. The work explores the Civil War’s roots in the ideological and physical conflicts that preceded it, notably Brown’s raid, which is depicted as a catalyst that further inflamed sectional tensions, illustrating the war’s inevitability given the unresolved disputes over enslavement and state rights.

The Emancipation Proclamation, issued by President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863, declared the freedom of all enslaved people in Confederate territory. This term is crucial in the work for highlighting a significant shift in the Union’s war aims, from preserving the Union to also abolishing enslavement. The proclamation’s ties to Brown’s vision demonstrate how his radical ideals indirectly influenced the course of the war and the legal end of enslavement.