Question

In which case did the Supreme Court declare that Congress lacked the power to outlaw slavery in the territories?

A.Dred Scott, a slave who had been taken by his owner to free territories and states, did not become free simply by residing in those areas.
B.The Court ruled that Congress did not have the authority to prohibit slavery in the territories, effectively invalidating the Missouri Compromise of 1820, which had banned slavery in certain territories.
C.The Court also declared that African Americans, whether enslaved or free, could not be considered citizens of the United States, which denied them certain legal rights and protections.
D.The Dred Scott decision was highly controversial and exacerbated sectional tensions, ultimately contributing to the growing divide between the North and the South in the years leading up to the American Civil War. It was widely criticized for its pro-slavery stance, and it remains a significant and controversial moment in American legal history.

Answer 1

The Supreme Court's decision in Dred Scott v. Sandford found that Congress could not outlaw slavery in territories, nullifying the Missouri Compromise, and held that African Americans could not be considered citizens. This 1857 decision intensified sectional tensions and contributes to the historical debate over slavery and civil rights.

Step-by-step explanation:

The Dred Scott v. Sandford Supreme Court Decision

In the landmark case Dred Scott v. Sandford, the Supreme Court pronounced a decision that held significant implications for the issue of slavery in the United States. The opinion issued by Chief Justice Roger B. Taney in 1857 declared several key points:

• Dred Scott, an enslaved African American who had lived in free territories, was deemed to still be a slave upon his return to a slave state.
• The Court ruled that African Americans, free or enslaved, were not considered citizens and thus, Scott had no legal standing to sue in federal court.
• Key to your question, the Court also found that Congress lacked the authority to prohibit slavery in the territories, effectively nullifying the Missouri Compromise.

This decision played a critical role in escalating tensions leading up to the American Civil War, and its legacy remains a controversial chapter in the nation's history.