Final answer:
John Brown, a radical abolitionist, led a failed raid on a U.S. arsenal at Harper's Ferry in 1859, which generated anger in the North and further divided the nation.
Step-by-step explanation:
John Brown, a radical abolitionist, led a failed raid on a U.S. arsenal at Harper's Ferry in 1859. His goal was to capture the weapons and distribute them among enslaved people to start a massive uprising against slavery. However, the plan failed as very few enslaved people lived in the area to join Brown's cause. He was eventually captured by federal troops and hanged for treason, which angered the North and further divided the nation.