Which of these statements BEST explains why the decision made in the "Dred Scott" case nullified the Compromise of 1850 and "popular sovereignty"?

Question

A) A state has the right to secede if the federal government tried to abolish slavery there.
B) Slaves were considered property and the federal government could not disallow slavery in any state.
C) African-Americans could not be considered citizens therefore no state could allow them to vote.
D) Only the Supreme Court could determine whether a state could allow slavery not the Legislative branch.

Answer 1

The statement that BEST explains why the decision made in the "Dred Scott" case nullified the Compromise of 1850 and "popular sovereignty" is:

B) Slaves were considered property and the federal government could not disallow slavery in any state.

The Dred Scott decision asserted that enslaved individuals were considered property, which meant that the federal government could not prohibit slavery in any territory or state. This directly undermined the principles of the Compromise of 1850 and the framework of popular sovereignty, which allowed the territories to determine their own status regarding slavery.