Question

What was the outcome of the dred scott supreme court decision?

A. Scott was given his freedom, and the decision upheld the status of the "once free, always free" concept.
B. The case was dismissed, and no ruling was made because slaves have no legal rights to bring a lawsuit.
C. The case was dropped when Scott's owner died, and they were automatically granted their freedom.
D. The court decision increased tension between the North and South when it ruled that a slave was enslaved wherever they were brought, essentially opening up the entire country to slavery.

Answer 1

The correct answer to the question is D, as the Dred Scott decision increased tensions between the North and South by ruling that slaves remained enslaved wherever they were brought and that Black people could not be U.S. citizens nor sue in federal court.

The Dred Scott Supreme Court Decision

• The outcome of the Dred Scott Supreme Court decision, Dred Scott v. Sandford (1857), was pivotal and controversial.
• In this case, Dred Scott, a slave, argued that he should be considered free after having lived in free territories.
• However, the Supreme Court ruled against Scott, declaring that Black people, whether free or enslaved, were not U.S. citizens and therefore lacked the legal standing to file a lawsuit.
• Additionally, the court declared that the Missouri Compromise was unconstitutional, meaning Congress had no power to prohibit slavery in the territories.
• This decision did indeed increase tensions between the North and South, essentially allowing slavery to spread into any U.S. territory, contributing to the rising discord that led to the American Civil War.
• So, the correct answer to the student's question is D: The court decision increased tension between the North and South when it ruled that a slave was enslaved wherever they were brought, essentially opening up the entire country to slavery.