Which event involved John Brown and his sons attacking a pro-slavery settlement?

The event involving John Brown and his sons attacking a pro-slavery settlement is indeed associated with Pottawatomie Creek. In May 1856, in response to the violent clashes known as "Bleeding Kansas," John Brown and his followers executed a raid on the settlement near Pottawatomie Creek in Kansas. This attack was a violent retaliation against pro-slavery forces and was part of the broader conflict between pro-slavery and anti-slavery factions in the territory. Brown believed that this act would help undermine the pro-slavery establishment and further the cause of abolition.

The significance of the Pottawatomie massacre lies in its demonstration of the escalating violence surrounding the issue of slavery in the United States prior to the Civil War. It also highlighted John Brown's radical approach to abolition and foreshadowed his later, more famous raid on Harper's Ferry. Understanding this background is crucial for grasping the intensity of the sectional conflict in the years leading up to the Civil War.