Honestly very much not my experience unfortunately. It's amazing how many "dudes into hisstory" are swept in by most stories generals and dictators told people about themselves.
Like yeah was the Slaver general really a "good Christian man", no he was an asshole, who nearly died shitting in the woods like the rest of the world.
So many people romantisize the Roman empire but in reality that was after it really went to shit for most people. ( Which is really hyped by "great man history" problem in which people latch onto specific names and figures instead of actually considering that in reality it was the choices of millions and the circumstances they found themselves in that mattered WAY more then what one dude said to his friends, senator/etc or not)
No the Americas wasn't a "virgin" new land ripe for the takening. Totally undeveloped or unexplored. The forests weren't just bustling full of game and food suspiciously safe for people to eat for no reason.
John Brown reaction to slavery is actually pretty fucking reasonable. Both because it should make you sick to your stomach to see it but also the assholes who did it shot and killed some of his familey.
Etc, etc.