Final answer:
The Dred Scott decision was received joyfully by white southerners, who saw it as federal protection for their 'property' and the spread of slavery. African Americans and abolitionists, along with white northerners and Republicans, were greatly disheartened and angered by the decision. The decision exacerbated sectional tensions and did severe damage to the concept of popular sovereignty, as espoused by figures like Stephen Douglas.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Dred Scott Decision
White southerners welcomed the Dred Scott decision as it secured federal protection for slavery and affirmed their right to take slaves into any U.S. territory. This effectively made slavery a national institution and nullified the distinction between slave and free states. Southerners believed that this ruling would fortify their social and economic system and even crush the Republican Party, which opposed the expansion of slavery.
African Americans were dismayed by the decision since it denied them the possibility of citizenship and upheld the legality of their enslavement. Abolitionists and Republicans, including figures like Frederick Douglass, condemned the ruling, viewing it as a violation of fundamental rights and a sign of the far-reaching influence of the 'Slave Power'. Frederick Douglass likely saw the decision as a significant setback to the cause of abolition and equality.
White northerners and members of the Republican Party were outraged by the Supreme Court's ruling, which they saw as further evidence of a 'Slave Power' conspiracy and a direct challenge to their regional values and political aims. The Republicans refused to recognize the legitimacy of the decision, which countered their primary objective of preventing the expansion of slavery into territories.
Despite the opposition from many northerners, Stephen Douglas and his supporters faced a predicament, as the decision undermined the concept of popular sovereignty and the ability of states to decide the legality of slavery within their own borders. The ruling complicated the political landscape and deepened sectional strife, setting the stage for further conflict and ultimately, the Civil War.