Brooks-Sumner Incident

The Brooks-Sumner Incident occurred in 1856 when Congressman Preston Brooks of South Carolina attacked Senator Charles Sumner of Massachusetts on the Senate floor. Sumner had delivered a harsh speech criticizing Southern slavery and specifically insulted Brooks’s relative. In response, Brooks enforcer-style beat Sumner with a cane, severely injuring him. The attack heightened tensions over slavery and sectional conflicts in the U.S., reflecting deep divisions leading up to the Civil War. The incident drew national attention, symbolizing the violent passions dividing the country over slavery and sectional differences.