What was the most important factor in John Brown’s decision to launch the raid at Harpers Ferry?

What was the most important factor in John Brown’s decision to launch the raid at Harpers Ferry?

A. Harpers Ferry was a town in which the residents had access to guns.

B. Harpers Ferry shared a border with “Bleeding Kansas.”

C. Harpers Ferry was in a region that strongly supported slavery.

D. Harpers Ferry was a hub of trains and canals, which provided escape routes.

Answer. D. Harpers Ferry was a hub of trains and canals, which provided escape routes.

For John Brown the chief motivator for the attack at Harpers Ferry was that the place was strategically situated: being both a junction for railroads and a connecting point for the water system. Brown thought that capturing all arms at Harpers Ferry should allow launching a widespread rebellion of enslaved individuals against the slavery establishment. The transportation system, trains, and another means of transportation, canals, would provide the escape routes for those who produced any firearm or explosive device. They could go to northern states or Canada. However, the logistical advantage that the town provided was the most important factor in Brown’s decision to make it the launching pad for his anti-slavery movement. The fact that the people he was involving in the plot lived in the town, made it easier for Brown to travel to them for consultation or to inform them of developments concerning plans for the rebellion.