Uncle Tom's Cabin is one of the most famous novels in American literature. In it, its author portrayed the lives of American Negroes before the Civil War, igniting noble souls and stirring up American public opinion against the injustices inflicted upon that class of citizens. This led to the Emancipation War (1861), followed by the victory of the northern states over the southern states. Harriet Stowe's name became a symbol of eternal love, blessed by millions of lips and glorifying the work of its author. Uncle Tom's Cabin became famous upon its publication, and its editions and translations continued month after month. Not only that, but 500,000 English women signed a letter of thanks to the author, and Scotland collected 1,000 pounds from its poorest residents, one penny from each person, as a symbolic donation to the abolitionist movement.