The Beating of Charles Sumner

The Beating of Charles Sumner occurred on May 26, 1856. Sumner was one of the most disliked people. He made a speech called 'Crime against Kansas' which addressed the fact that he believed two people, Douglass and Andrew Butler, were a problem when it came to defeating slavery. Representative Preston Brooks was related to Butler and angered by this speech which prompted him to beat sumner with an 11 ounce cane.

The beating of Charles Sumner was a significant event because it made the south happy enough to send canes to Brooks increasing the popularity of him in the South. It also increased the awareness of Sumner's speech, spreading it due to Brooks beating him being big news. The beating spread awareness of just how intense slavery and the feelings about it were.