Question

In 1–2 sentences, explain the significance of the Dred Scott decision in the debate over slavery in the U.S.

Answer 1

The Dred Scott decision of 1857 was significant because it ruled that enslaved people were not citizens and had no legal standing to sue for their freedom, effectively invalidating the Missouri Compromise and escalating tensions over slavery, which contributed to the onset of the Civil War. This ruling reinforced the notion of slavery as a constitutional right, deepening the divide between pro-slavery and anti-slavery factions in the United States.