Final answer:
Following John Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry, many Southerners felt convinced that Northerners would resort to violence to end slavery, increasing tension and eventually leading to the Civil War.
Step-by-step explanation:
After John Brown's attack on Harpers Ferry, an event in American history that sparked considerable controversy and fear, many Southerners became convinced that Northerners were willing to use violence to end slavery (Option 4). The characteristic that defines Option 4 most accurately represents the true reactions of many Southerners after the Harpers Ferry raid, that Northerners would go to violent extremes to oppose the institution of slavery. Both the event and the reaction of the South further escalated tensions between the North and South, leading to more fragmentation and ultimately culminating in the American Civil War. It increased the sense of threat among the Southern citizens, pushing them toward secession.
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