The Dred Scott v. Sandford decision, issued by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1857, angered many Northerners for several reasons:
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Denial of Citizenship: The Supreme Court ruled that African Americans, whether enslaved or free, could not be considered American citizens. This decision directly challenged the status and rights of free Black individuals in the North, where many had been granted citizenship and enjoyed some legal rights.
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Expansion of Slavery: The Court's ruling also declared that Congress had no authority to regulate slavery in the territories, which effectively opened all U.S. territories to the possibility of slavery. Northerners who opposed the expansion of slavery felt that this ruling threatened their efforts to keep slavery contained and eventually abolish it.
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Legal Precedent and Judicial Activism: Many Northerners viewed the decision as an example of judicial overreach, where the Supreme Court was perceived to be siding with pro-slavery interests and undermining the efforts of Congress and the public to regulate the institution of slavery.
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Increased Tensions: The decision further polarized the already contentious national debate over slavery. Northerners, including abolitionists and Free-Soil advocates, saw it as a catalyst for increased activism against slavery and its expansion, leading to greater tensions between the North and South.
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Undermining Compromise: The ruling negated previous compromises, such as the Missouri Compromise of 1820, which had attempted to balance slave and free states. This angered those in the North who believed that peaceful coexistence and compromise were still possible.
Overall, the Dred Scott decision was seen as a profound setback for anti-slavery activists and contributed to the increasing sectional divide that eventually led to the Civil War.