Question

Which of the following is not correct concerning the Dred Scott decision:

A) Could never be citizens of the United States
B) Court ruled that Congress had no authority to stop or limit the spread of slavery
C) Scott had to remain a slave
D) Scott was granted his freedom

Answer 1

The incorrect statement about the Dred Scott decision is that Scott was granted his freedom. The Supreme Court decision, in fact, enforced that Scott remained a slave and Blacks could not be U.S. citizens, and Congress couldn't limit slavery's spread in territories.

Step-by-step explanation:

The correct option is D:

In the Dred Scott v. Sandford ruling, the U.S. Supreme Court decision, led by Chief Justice Roger Taney, made several key judgments:

1. Declared that Black people, free or enslaved, could never be citizens of the United States.
2. Stated that Congress lacked the authority to stop or limit the spread of slavery into territories.
3. Confirmed that Dred Scott remained a slave despite having lived in free states and territories.
4. Made the Missouri Compromise unconstitutional, due to the ruling that Congress had no authority to bar slavery in the territories.

The Supreme Court rejected the notion that Dred Scott should be free solely based on his residence in free states and territories, reinforcing the status of slaves as property and not as individuals with the right to sue for freedom. The decision further inflamed tensions leading up to the American Civil War and was a pivotal moment in the history of slavery in the United States.