People

John Brown

• Significant Action: Led the raid on Harpers Ferry.

• Impact: Intensified sectional tensions leading up to the Civil War.

• Beliefs: Fiercely opposed slavery and believed in violent action to end it.

William T. Sherman

• Significant Action: Led the “March to the Sea” during the Civil War.

• Impact: Devastated the South’s economy and morale, hastening the war’s end.

• Beliefs: Supported total war to preserve the Union.

Abraham Lincoln

• Significant Action: Issued the Emancipation Proclamation and preserved the Union during the Civil War.

• Impact: Ended slavery and strengthened federal authority.

• Beliefs: Opposed slavery’s expansion and prioritized national unity.

John D. Rockefeller

• Significant Action: Founded Standard Oil Company.

• Impact: Transformed the oil industry and shaped modern capitalism.

• Beliefs: Supported monopolies as a means to efficiency and economic growth.