What probably would have happened if John Brown had been put in an insane asylum rather than hanged?

Answer 1

If John Brown had been placed in an insane asylum rather than hanged, it could have shifted public perception of him from a martyr for abolition to a figure of pity or ridicule. His radical views might have been dismissed as the delusions of a madman, potentially undermining the abolitionist cause. Additionally, the absence of his execution could have delayed or altered the narrative surrounding the pre-Civil War tensions, possibly affecting the timeline or intensity of the conflict. Ultimately, his legacy might have been significantly different, focusing less on his actions and more on his mental state.