Final answer:
Harriet Beecher Stowe wrote 'Uncle Tom's Cabin' to expose and condemn slavery, influencing public opinion and becoming a catalyst for the Civil War.
Step-by-step explanation:
Harriet Beecher Stowe's goal in writing "Uncle Tom's Cabin" was to expose and condemn slavery. This historical novel was a significant piece of antislavery literature, aiming to depict the cruelties and moral injustices of slavery to persuade readers, particularly Northerners, of the abolitionist cause.
Stowe based her powerful narrative on real accounts and stories of enslaved people, showcasing the brutal lives of slaves and how their condition affected both their humanity and that of their owners. "Uncle Tom's Cabin" became a bestseller in the 1850s, stirring strong reactions in both the North and South, and has since been credited by many as a catalyst for the American Civil War due to its impact on public opinion regarding the institution of slavery.