Charles Sumner was born in
Boston in 1811. He was educated at
Harvard University. In 1851, he was elected to the
United States Senate from Massachusetts. In the Senate, he attacked the South with strong words. On one instance, he made sneering references to Senator Andrew Butler of South Carolina. There days later, Butler's nephew attacked him in the Senate and beat him senseless.
After the Civil War, Sumner wanted the South to be treated harshly. He opposed the moderate policies of President Andrew Johnson.
