Rebellions, Revolts, and Uprisings

No study of the American Civil War is complete without an understanding of the events that unfolded in Harpers Ferry, Virginia, in 1859. Abolitionist John Brown became a martyr to many through his raid on the federal arsenal there, in support of a slave rebellion. But he became a reviled enemy to those opposed to abolition. This in-depth account provides many fascinating details of the planning of the raid, such as Brown's attempt to recruit Frederick Douglass to the cause. It also explains the aftershocks of the attack in a nation truly on the brink of war.

The early years of the United States weren't wholly tranquil. The new nation was on rocky economic ground. Though paper money was in circulation, it wasn't worth much. Many people were suffering and didn't have a voice in government. These conditions gave rise to the rebellion led by former Continental army captain Daniel Shays, beginning in 1786. This volume explains what happened when Shays and more than one thousand followers attempted to capture a Massachusetts arsenal and how this rebellion led to the formation of a new and stronger federal government.

The fight over taxation wasn't just a part of the American Revolution. It continued after the war was resolved. When the federal government placed a tax on whiskey in 1791, farmers in Pennsylvania, who depended on selling whiskey to make ends meet, were outraged. They took up arms and attacked federal tax collectors. President George Washington used several tactics to quell the insurrection. The full story of the Whiskey Rebellion, as it was called, is recounted in this volume, along with discussion of its repercussions on domestic policy. Young historians will especially appreciate the vivid images of the incident and those involved.

Nathaniel "Nat" Turner was a black slave who led a rebellion in the American South in the summer of 1831. A charismatic leader, Turner gathered about 75 slaves to his cause. By the time the insurrection was suppressed, more than 100 were dead, and Turner was hanged. In the aftermath, laws were passed to prevent the education of slaves and a deeper schism opened between abolitionists and slaveholders. The rebellion was truly a harbinger of the bloody events to come. This significant story of pre-Civil War America is the focus of this comprehensive volume, a valuable support for social studies curricula.

The slave revolt on the ship Amistad in 1839 was a crucial event in the early abolitionist movement in the United States. When the vessel arrived in America, a fierce debate began about whether the Africans were free or enslaved and whether they should be allowed to return to Africa. The argument became a legal battle that eventually ended up in the US Supreme Court, with former president John Quincy Adams representing the Africans. This remarkable story and its repercussions are presented in this beautifully designed volume, replete with images to complement the narrative and a timeline that summarizes key events.

The Seminole Wars were comprised of three separate clashes between the United States and the Seminole Indians of Florida between 1817 and 1858. The first touched off when the US Army invaded Seminole territory in order to capture fugitive slaves living among the native people. The Seminoles were pushed farther and farther south into Florida. Ultimately, the Seminoles lost their land and Florida became American territory opened up for white settlers. This well-researched narrative provides essential facts about an important chapter in the history of Native Americans in the growing United States.