Final answer:
Option (B), John Brown's real legacy was that he sparked a national debate on slavery and influenced the events leading up to the Civil War.
Step-by-step explanation:
John Brown's real legacy is B) He sparked a national debate on slavery and played a role in the start of the Civil War. The raid on Harpers Ferry and Brown's composure during his trial and execution had significant effects on public opinion. While many northerners initially criticized his tactics, Brown's martyrdom shifted the conversation toward doing more about southern power and the institution of slavery. The raid also increased fears in the South of future insurrections and moved the country closer to the conflict that would become the Civil War.
The Democratic Party's inability to maintain a united stance on slavery as the election of 1860 approached led to the Republican Party's win with Abraham Lincoln's nomination. Shortly after, South Carolina and other states in the Lower South seceded, forming the Confederate States of America. John Brown's actions and the heightened tensions leading up to the election exemplify his complex legacy as a figure who influenced the course of American history towards the eventual armed conflict between the North and South.