Which of the following was the issue in the Supreme Court case Dred Scott v. Sandford?

1. whether a slave could gain the right to vote
2. whether a slave could own property
3. whether a slave could be freed if taken to a free state
4. whether a slave could refuse to be separated from family members

1 answer

The main issue in the Supreme Court case Dred Scott v. Sandford (1857) was 3. whether a slave could be freed if taken to a free state. The Court ruled that Dred Scott, a enslaved person who had been taken to free territories, could not sue for his freedom because he was not considered a citizen and that Congress lacked the authority to prohibit slavery in the territories.