I enjoyed your post and I agree with what you say. I might add that the failure to compromise on many issues prior to the war between the Southern and Northern states prior to 1860 contributed to the war being started. One cannot ignore certain historical events leading up to 1860, like the widely published book Uncle Tom's cabin a work of fiction, the slave rebellions in the south and in Haiti, and the general attitudes held by Northerners toward the South and its people. etc. John Brown's terrorist activities was just the spark that would eventually ignite the flames of war.One thing that amazes me is how the history books tends to regard John Brown as a martyr.

Robert Caudle